


Tattoo

by Darkicedragon



Category: Noblesse (Manhwa)
Genre: Gen, sentient tattoo au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-02-08 06:29:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21471550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkicedragon/pseuds/Darkicedragon
Summary: M-21's tattoo disappeared when he developed his claws. But it wasn't gone.
Comments: 28
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some gore. 
> 
> Sentient tattoo AU!
> 
> Thanks to madameazzure for all the help with poking at this. :D

  
  
  
M-21 huffed, scratching the back of his hand.  
  
"Still itchy?" M-24 said, handing him a cold bottle of water.  
  
"Yeah," M-21 said, glowering at the welts he'd left before pressing the bottle to his skin. "Didn't think that would be a side effect of the transformation." They'd only heard scientists' excited whispers about the other experiments' transformations - but of course the scientists would be interested in what it _meant_, the _progress_, rather than how it had affected the experiment.  
  
It had only been his nails that had transformed though; his skin hadn't changed. But maybe that would be what transformed next? M-21 curled his hand to see his nails better, studying them. They didn't look any different. "Still can't believe I did that," he muttered. Him. _He_ could transform. One of the failures.  
  
M-21 frowned at the prickling feeling over his wrist.  
  
M-24 sucked in a breath and M-21 glanced at him. M-24 was wide-eyed and staring at his hand.  
  
"What?" It hadn't transformed; he would have felt it.  
  
"I..." M-24 furrowed his brow and then shook his head. "I thought I saw something."  
  
M-21 turned his hand over and pulled back the remnants of his sleeve, but it looked the same as it had before, aside from the speckling of blood spray.  
  
Hn. Maybe it had been a trick of the light. But they should clean themselves up before they drew attention to themselves.  


* * *

  
M-21 stared at his wrist, watching the water flow over it. Over the unmarked skin.  
  
"The _fuck_?" he said, his words echoing in the toilet. He had to be imagining it. He ran his fingers over where his 21 brand used to be, as if he would be able to feel it instead. But it had only been ink - he'd never felt any bumps when it had been there.  
  
He couldn't have washed it off.  
  
Had it...disappeared when he'd transformed? He hadn't thought to check it, because why would he _need_ to? It had always been there. That was the _point_.  
  
The scientists would notice and they'd mark him again. ...What if it was because of that they found out he could transform?  
  
The back of his right hand itched again and he glowered, turning it over. Itchy skin, disappearing tattoo... Was that worth it for power? It was manageable for now, but if he got stronger, would the -  
  
M-21 froze. Right where the tingling was, was a dog. A tattoo. It was a small and simple design, just smaller than his palm.  
  
And it fucking _moved_.  
  
It dashed around his hand, and M-21 could _feel_ it passing over his skin. Was that what he'd felt earlier?  
  
"Is that..." M-24 tracked the dog as it looped M-21's wrist, trying to stay out of their gaze. "Is that your tattoo?"  
  
"It has to be?" Even though it made no fucking sense. But his tattoo was gone and now there was a dog running over his skin.  
  
M-21 put his left hand in its way to see what it would do. It should slide underneath but - "Sss - fuck!"  
  
He shook his hand out of instinct, but the dog stayed on his left hand. It had jumped from one part of him to another.  
  
"It's got a '2' along its back," M-24 said and M-21 squinted at it. The long continuous line from its neck to the tip of its tail _did_ look like a 2, and M-21 didn't know how many lines his tattoo had been, but it did look like it was around the same number making up the dog's body.  
  
"So my tattoo became sentient?" M-21 grimaced. He couldn't let the scientists see it, but it wasn't like he could fucking control what it did. Could he be fast enough to cut it out? Or maybe if he tried to do that, it would go under his skin. Urgh.  
  
"Oi," M-21 said, bringing his hand closer to his face. "Can you understand me?" The fuck was he doing trying to talk to a tattoo? It didn't have ears, but he was desp-  
  
The dog turned towards him and sat.  
  
Well, shit. It could hear him.  
  
"Can you turn back into the 21?" M-21 asked.  
  
The dog tilted its head.  
  
Great. It was just a stupid dog.  
  
"Hmm." M-24 was studying the tattoo. "Does it know what a 21 is?"  
  
...Shit. It was a stupid dog - of course it didn't know what numbers were.  
  
M-24 leaned closer and the dog's tail flicked in and out of sight. "Can you back into your old form?"  
  
The dog jumped and in a swirl of ink, it turned into the image M-21 was far more used to seeing.  
  
"Thank fuck," M-21 muttered as the dog changed back. "Do that whenever we-" It was a dog. It wouldn't understand what a checkup was. "-see the people with the white jackets. Go back to my wrist and stay there. They can't see you, understand?"  
  
The dog barked and M-21 felt his skin vibrate. It was the _weirdest_ fucking feeling.  
  
They would have to see if it really understood that, but they might be able to train it before they had another checkup.  


* * *

  
M-21 felt the dog running up his neck and he grimaced, rubbing where it had been. He and M-24 had bought a few things to eat and had sat on a rooftop, away from the crowds. As soon as they'd unwrapped the food, the dog had dashed from his hand to his face in the time M-21 had taken a bite.  
  
"Don't go into my mouth," M-21 said. He didn't know if it could, but he didn't want to find out. The feel of its paws on his skin was weird enough - he didn't want to feel it on the inside of his mouth too.  
  
Could it even eat? How the fuck would he feed it?  
  
It stayed on his cheek though, and M-21 felt a rhythmic tapping instead. It was a harder impact than its paws but M-21 had no idea what it was. "What's it doing?"  
  
"It's wagging its tail," M-24 said.  
  
Was that a good thing or a bad thing? The dogs at the Union both tucked their tails and wagged them, and M-21 hadn't seen them enough to figure out what their behaviour meant.  
  
But so long as the dog didn't try to get inside him while he was trying to eat, M-21 didn't care.  
  
"Do you think it's hungry?" M-24 asked, chewing as he watched the dog run around M-21's face.  
  
"Are you going to try and put your sandwich in my skin?" M-21 said with a snort.  
  
M-24 shrugged, holding a piece of it towards the dog.  
  
It barked, making M-21 grimace and then ran towards M-21's mouth. "Hey!"  
  
It ran a loop around M-21's lips and then barked again.  
  
The sandwich hovered over the dog and the dog kept dashing back between the sandwich and M-21's mouth.  
  
M-24 frowned and then leaned back. "I think it's more concerned with _you_ being fed."  
  
M-21 rolled his eyes. "I can feed myself." Which the dog could see clearly. M-21 took another bite of his sandwich.  
  
The dog wagged its tail again. Weird tattoo dog.  


* * *

  
M-21 hissed, holding himself up against the wall. He could feel the dog circling the slash on his arm, the constant vibration that M-21 had learned was it barking.  
  
"I _know_ I'm fucking injured," M-21 snapped, glaring at it. "I can feel it, so shut the fuck up already."  
  
The dog curled up at the tip of the slash and leaned in.  
  
"What the fuck are you - are you fucking _licking_ it?" He could see a flash of a tongue every second or so.  
  
M-21 sucked in a breath. The wound felt...weird. It was hot, but it wasn't as intense and grabbing his attention as it used to be, and while he watched, the wound started sealing up. "The fuck?"  
  
It was probably his healing kicking in but...the other end of the slash wasn't closing up.  
  
"Is that you?" How was it doing that?  
  
The dog barked at him before going back to licking the wound again.  
  
"...Okay," M-21 said, not sure how to make sense of an ink tattoo helping to enhance his healing. "You keep doing that."  
  
He had to find M-24 in the aftermath of the fight. They'd been split up, but he could hear fighting in the distance, so he knew where to head.  


* * *

  
M-21's heart thudded and normally when that happened, the dog settled over it. It would curl up and rumble and that somehow made M-21 feel calmer, but it couldn't do it now. They were in a lab to hand in the package they'd collected, and the dog was back in its 21 shape on his wrist. For now. M-21 felt it quivering there and M-21 was sure it wanted to run around like it usually did.  
  
He wanted to grip his wrist, even though he knew that wouldn't help. It wouldn't hold it in place, and it would draw attention to what he didn't want. He had to keep his hands by his sides as he walked through, trying to not grit his teeth.  
  
The hairs at the back of his neck prickled and he could feel M-24's eyes on him. "I'm fine." It was a lie and they both knew it. "I just don't like it." He didn't like having control over a situation. With M-24, he could tell him something and know M-24 would try his best to follow it. He couldn't trust the dog could keep still enough to stay unnoticed.  
  
It liked to wander around M-21's skin, peering out at whatever was uncovered. It had barely been five minutes and the dog was already trying to move.  
  
He just had to get out of there as soon as he could without being suspicious.  


* * *

  
M-21 exhaled, his hands shaking now that he didn't have to keep them still. "Hey," he said, pulling back his sleeve, "you can move again."  
  
The dog sprung back to life, dashing circles around M-21's wrist. That was how M-21 felt, but if he'd ran away from the lab, the scientists and guards would have noticed.  
  
The dog paused on the back of his hand, and M-21 watched it as it looked at him.  
  
"What?" It looked like it was waiting for something. ...Though, M-21 had seen other dogs being walked by humans and... "You did good?" It had, hadn't it?  
  
The dog's tail became a blur, slapping against his skin.  
  
So that had to mean it was happy?  
  
The dog started dashing around again, up M-21's arm to go down his other one. It felt weird, but he'd gotten used to it.  


* * *

  
M-21 jerked awake, straining his ears for whatever had woken him.  
  
His skin tingled instead and he stifled a groan, not wanting to wake M-24 up.  
  
He brought his hand close to his face, scowling. The dog was there, jumping between his fingers. "Stop it."  
  
The dog froze, its ears flattening.  
  
"You're keeping me up."  
  
M-21's skin buzzed but he didn't know what that meant yet.  
  
The dog curled up on the back of his hand and stayed there, looking at him.  
  
"Yeah, stay there until I wake up."  
  
The dog flashed its tail before curling it around its body, closing its eyes.  
  
Good.  
  
M-21 closed his own eyes and fell asleep again.  


* * *

  
M-21 woke up with a sigh, hearing M-24 already awake and moving. Sunlight was peeking in through the broken window, the morning air swirling in. That sleep hadn't been too bad. No nightmares, at least.  
  
As soon as M-21 got up, the dog shot up his arm, climbing up to his face. "You were waiting for me to wake up?"  
  
He got a bark in return, and he _had_ told it to do that.  
  
"Fine," he said. "Thanks."  
  
He didn't need to see or feel his tattoo to know it was wagging its tail.  


* * *

  
M-21 grunted when his back slammed against the tree, scrambling out of the way of the follow up punch. The tree splintered from the impact.  
  
Shit. M-21 was durable, but he didn't want to be hit by that. Not again.  
  
The agent was shouting something but the words were echoing in and out of the high pitched buzzing in his ears.  
  
Concentrate on his hands. The claws.  
  
They grew faster than they used to and M-21 lunged at the agent, stabbing him through the chest. He yanked the claws across with a spray of blood, feeling them catch on the ribs before slicing through them.  
  
The agent staggered, mouth gasping as he clutched the wound, hands bloodied in seconds.  
  
M-21 grabbed a fistful of the agent's hair and tore out his throat before the agent could react.  
  
He almost beheaded him and he let go before the weight of the body tore itself from what was left of the neck.  
  
M-21 panted, letting go of the transformation. That could have gone bet-  
  
He froze, his neck pulsing. The dog was barking at something. It didn't do that often.  
  
He dived, gritting his teeth at his protesting muscles. But sore muscles was better than being shot in the fucking head, the gunshot echoing around him as soon as he'd moved.  
  
The dog had been on his left, but he didn't need that to guide him, someone crashing through the undergrowth away from him. To get a better vantage point to shoot him or to get help, it didn't matter.  
  
They had to die.  
  
His head was swimming from the fight and the transformation, but he forced his screaming muscles to work. Just a little bit more. So long as there wasn't any other backup, he just had to keep going for a little bit more.  
  
M-21 chased after the agent, gaining ground even though he was stumbling just as hard through the undergrowth. He skidded to a halt, seeing M-24 in front of him, his eyes glowing faintly as he stood in front of the other agent.  
  
M-21 smirked as he regained his breath, seeing M-24 reach over while the other agent stood frozen, caught under M-24's power.  
  
M-24 reached over, wrapped his hands around the agent's head, and crushed their skull.  
  
"Is that everyone?" M-21 said, straining his ears over his roaring heartbeat and harsh breathing. The dog had nestled over his heart and he could feel it calming down with every beat.  
  
M-24 nodded, his eyes going back to normal as he let go of the agent.  
  
"Good." M-21 closed his eyes and exhaled. The mission had ended in shambles, but they should still be able to collect the documents, so long as no-one else had tried to steal or destroy them after the chaos. "Thanks for grabbing them." He might not have caught up in time.  
  
M-24 smiled at him, wiping the blood on the agent's clothes. "You flushed her towards me."  
  
Hn. They did work well as a team. And not just M-24. "Thanks for looking out for me too," he said, tapping his cheek where the dog was staying. The dog wagged its tail. "I would have died from that." Enhanced healing or not, he couldn't survive a headshot.  
  
M-24 sucked in a breath, his eyes wide.  
  
"I'm alive," M-21 said, straightening, "obviously. We need to get moving though." They needed to complete their mission before anyone else arrived.  
  
"Yeah..." M-24 followed as M-21 led the way.  


* * *

  
M-21 sighed, the dog running laps around his body as he and M-24 stepped off the boat to arrive in South Korea. The dog had learned to stay out of sight of unmodified humans, but it made up for that by running everywhere under his clothes. It was a weird feeling but he'd gotten used to it over the years.  
  
It was going to be a quick retrieval mission here. If nothing went wrong, they'd be able to leave the cramped city in under a week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's at least another two scenes I want to write, but they didn't fit in with the current feel of it, so I should add those in later.
> 
> Inspired by this post: https://thatmightyheart.tumblr.com/post/188115687282


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M-21 tries to adjust after M-24's death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains: Panic attack.
> 
> I thought this would be two more scenes. I was wrong. I was so wrong, the 'extra scenes' are taking up two parts. XD;
> 
> And there should be another part hopefully following after.

The dog was howling. M-21 curled up further on 'his' bed (shouldn't have just been his. Should have been his and M-24's. Or two beds. Or-), hands fisting his hair. "I know. I fucking _know_," he snapped, teeth gritted. "I _know_ you're sad. So am I!" His voice cracked, but who gave a fuck? M-24 was _gone_ and the dog just kept howling right over his heart, amplifying his own sadness.   
  
If he'd been faster, if he'd been stronger-   
  
M-21 hissed and clutched his chest. "Did you fucking _bite_ me?"   
  
He pulled at his collar and saw the red mark, over where the sharp pain had been. "What the fuck?" It was _attacking_ him now? Would it eventually be able to draw blood?   
  
The dog didn't answer, but curled up over his heart again. It didn't howl this time, rumbling instead in the way that usually helped M-21 feel better. Usually.   
  
M-21 snorted, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his chin on his knees. "Guess you're lashing out too," he murmured.   
  
He could understand that.   


* * *

  
"It'll only be a few minutes," Frankenstein said as he gestured towards a chair and turned away to putter around one of the nearby drawers.   
  
Right. A checkup was only 'a few minutes' to a scientist, but it was different being on the receiving end...   
  
M-21 eyed the spotless tiles and gleaming machines around him.   
  
From one lab straight to another. He had the worst fucking luck. This one seemed empty though, with only Frankenstein and his master - even in the dead of night, the Union labs always had people milling around, from scientists trying to cram in one more experiment to patrolling security.   
  
This place was silent.   
  
A private lab? But there should have still been _guards_. It smelled weird though, lacking the dull smell of blood.   
  
Frankenstein turned around and blinked at him.   
  
Ah, shit, he was still standing. M-21 sat down, seeing the syringe and other instruments in the tray Frankenstein set down next to him.   
  
"I'll just be taking one vial of blood," Frankenstein said, picking up the tourniquet. "Which arm is usually better for veins?"  
  
M-21 presented his right arm, rolling back the sleeve. Blood tests weren't that bad, but what would Frankenstein do with what he found with them? The scientist already knew he could transform, and wouldn't have any data M-21 could change. He couldn't hide the most important information from Frankenstein.   
  
"There," Frankenstein said after he'd wrapped the tourniquet around M-21's arm and tightened it. "How does that feel? Too loose or tight?"  
  
M-21 stared at him. Why was he asking questions that didn't matter? The scientists didn't care, taking his blood as soon as they could.   
  
"M-21?"  
  
And was _waiting_ \- shit. He'd been asked a question. Of course he had to answer.   
  
"It's fine," he said.   
  
Frankenstein hummed, poking at M-21's vein until he was satisfied, nodding. A perfectionist. Great.   
  
When Frankenstein brought over the syringe, M-21 braced himself. And then sucked in a breath, his skin tingling down from his sleeve.   
  
Fuck! _Fuck_, what was the dog doing running out? It had never done that before, not when there was scientists...   
  
He'd never told the dog to be wary of scientists, because how would the dog know which person was one or not?   
  
He'd told it to be wary of white coats. Frankenstein was wearing a blue and white top.   
  
Fuck.   
  
The dog stopped at the inside of M-21's elbow, where the syringe hovered over, barking at it.   
  
Fucking-! Transformation was something known about throughout the organisations, that the Union had the most successful number of agents with it, but M-21 had never heard anyone else having a sentient tattoo. It made him stand out too much, a curiosity. He was going to be trapped -  
  
"Yes, yes," Frankenstein said with a sigh, pulling the needle away, "I know you're protecting him, but I need to take some blood to make sure he's healthy."  
  
What?   
  
The dog growled, its ears still flat.   
  
"You can protect him from being physically harmed," Frankenstein continued, "but sometimes a person has something out of balance inside. Once his blood tells me how healthy he is, I can help him to restore any imbalances, if there are any."   
  
More barking, but the dog moved off the vein, sitting down to watch Frankenstein.   
  
"You - you can understand it?" M-21 spluttered. How? Where the fuck had Frankenstein seen more of the dogs to not be surprised and to be able to learn how they talked?  
  
"Mm?" Frankenstein said, making one last check of M-21's vein before sliding the needle in. "I can understand his worry." He adjusted the needle and then nodded, connecting the vial. It filled with blood a little sluggishly than normal.   
  
"And you're not surprised by it." M-21 couldn't stop his mouth moving, but what the _fuck_? It had barely been two minutes and Frankenstein wasn't acting like any of the other scientists M-21 had met over the years.   
  
"Of course not. I've..." Frankenstein unclipped the vial but trailed off when he looked at M-21. "But you were."  
  
"Yeah? Where the fuck are sentient tattoos fucking _normal_?" He and M-24 had searched for more information in the Union database - nothing had come up.   
  
Frankenstein didn't respond, setting the vial down in the tray, and shit, he'd said too fucking much. Revealed too much.   
  
"There is a place," Frankenstein said, his voice still mild, "but I would like to have a more complete image of what has been done to you before I make any assumptions."   
  
Frankenstein knew something about him and hadn't even looked at the blood results yet? Just from the tattoo?   
  
"Tell me." He was doing this wrong, making demands of a _scientist_, but if he could find his _home_ he might be able to find his _name_. Frankenstein hadn't seemed to mind being talked back at before - maybe he could keep getting away with it.   
  
"Not yet," Frankenstein said. "I may be wrong about my assumption."  
  
"But you know _something_."  
  
"Yes." Frankenstein gazed at him and M-21 gritted his teeth at the _pity_ that was on the scientist's face. "I don't want to give you false hope and then pull it away again." He eased the needle out, pressing a cotton ball to the pinprick. "Hold that please."   
  
M-21 held his tongue and did as he was told. He was used to false hope. It was all he and M-24 had had in the Union: the chance they might eventually get away; the chance they actually find their names. They'd gotten out of the labs, and their bodies had started to fail. They'd found some of their documents, but it hadn't listed any of their personal history, only detailing what had been done to them.   
  
He'd escaped the Union, and he'd lost M-24.   
  
The scientist brought over a band-aid. "I don't need that," M-21 said. He would heal soon enough and the Union scientists had never bothered with it.  
  
"Your body is currently weakened and recovering from Master awakening you, and I would rather give infection the least possible chance," Frankenstein said, pressing the band-aid to M-21's skin.   
  
Was that what it was? He'd been given a boost in power, but he'd used up...what, life force or some shit?   
  
The dog slunk close to the edge of the band-aid, sniffing it. It opened its mouth, leaning in.   
  
"Leave it alone please." The dog's ears flattened. "It only needs to stay on overnight and then it can come off."   
  
The dog closed its mouth, still staying close to the band-aid, growling softly.   
  
"It can't-" M-21 had never seen it affect anything that wasn't his skin before. But he didn't know much about the dog, did he? He hadn't known it could bite him until recently.   
  
"If it's something in contact with your skin, he can damage it. If he had attacked the needle while I was drawing blood, he could have broken it and the shard would have been stuck inside you."  
  
M-21 grimaced, imagining it poking deeper inside him.  
  
"If you could lie here," Frankenstein said, gesturing towards one of the machines to their side. "I'd like a scan as well."  
  
To get as much information on him, urgh.   
  
"You'll need to hide under M-21's clothes," Frankenstein told the dog. "The scan will be a bright light that passes over M-21 - that's normal and you won't need to protect M-21 from it."   
  
The dog barked and then dashed back under M-21's sleeve.   
  
M-21 rubbed his arm where the dog passed. He had never seen it interact with any one else aside from M-24 - was it always so trusting to follow orders?  
  
"Do you have any questions?"   
  
He shook his head and laid down on the scanner. The faster he got out of the lab the better - he'd been running his mouth off too much without thinking, giving the scientist too much information.   
  
The scan went fine, the dog chasing after the light, its tail thumping against M-21's skin.   
  
"Thank you," Frankenstein said, cleaning away his instruments as M-21 stood up. "I'll let you know what I've found when I'm done."  
  
"Sure."   
  
M-21 left the lab, the dog settling against his heart again.   
  
From one lab to another, and this one knew more about him than the Union had, in more ways than one. If he could just get more information...  
  
More hope that wouldn't go anywhere, but he was used to it.   


* * *

  
M-21 sighed as he stared at the setting sun against the horizon. He'd used to do this with M-24 when they'd had free time.   
  
He wanted M-24 _back_. What the fuck was the point in getting away from the Union if it wasn't with him? He could deal with running straight into another lab if he had M-24 to watch his back.   
  
The dog trotted out from under his sleeve, watching the sun as well from his hand.   
  
Right. He still had the dog, and the dog could keep an eye on his blind spots.   
  
It wasn't quite the same. He wanted both of them there.   
  
But nothing ever went the way he wanted, did it?   
  
M-21 closed his eyes, feeling the sun's rays go cold as day gave way to night.   


* * *

  
M-21 frowned when his phone buzzed. Only two people knew his new phone number and as far as he was aware, they were both still in the house. Contacting him was faster than trying to find him though.  
  
It was from Frankenstein. [`I have the results of your blood test and MRI scan. Could you come down to the lab? F`]  
  
Fuck. What had the scientist found? How long was he going to be kept underground to be studied?   
  
[`Yes.`] But it wasn't as if he could run away. The Union would find him and want to take him apart, just because he'd been involved with their pet experiments getting killed. And that was before they found out he could transform.   
  
From what he'd seen so far, being under the care of Frankenstein and his Master was still better than the Union. He could endure more tests and experiments.   
  
The dog knew how he was feeling, curling up against his neck.   
  
M-21 shoved his hands into his pockets when he entered the main lab room, his hands clenched into fists. Frankenstein was there, reading something on one of the computer screens.   
  
As soon as Frankenstein saw him, he smiled at M-21 and put his glasses away in his shirt pocket. "Which would you like to know first?"  
  
That was easy. "Where you think I'm from."   
  
Frankenstein's smile dimmed for a second and shit, it was another dead end. "The living wolf mark you have is usually a sign of a very specific race," Frankenstein said, his gaze going towards M-21's neck for a second.   
  
A wolf? How could Frankenstein tell the difference - it was just a bigger dog. And why was he talking in such a round about way?   
  
"I've only met a handful of them, but from what I've gathered, the mark appears when when they come of age and they hm, 'gain their claws'."  
  
Wait. M-21 stared at him, Frankenstein returning it. He knew the dog had appeared when he'd gained his transformation and had made that connection, but getting confirmation was different. It could have been a side effect of the transformation, rather than tied to it.   
  
"It's usually red though," Frankenstein said, gazing at the do - wolf again.   
  
M-21 narrowed his eyes. "So I'm not part of that race?" Because it was the wrong colour?   
  
"No, you're not," Frankenstein said, turning back to his computer monitor. "I had thought you might be because of the mark and your transformation, but your blood test shows you're human-"  
  
_Human?_ Of course he was human? But if Frankenstein had to make that distinction...then whatever the wolf came from wasn't?   
  
"-with a number of enhancements."   
  
A new window was enlarged on the screen, showing a scan of a skeleton.   
  
"It looks like someone at the Union transplanted a werewolf's heart into you." Frankenstein circled the light area in the - his chest with a finger. He continued but M-21 couldn't hear the rest, blood roaring in his hears.   
  
He had something in his chest that wasn't his, that wasn't just beating his blood for him, but it could _change_ him. Had changed him. His heart had changed him enough that he could transform and he'd gotten the wolf tattoo. That Frankenstein had thought he was a werewolf when he'd looked at him.   
  
Was his heart going to keep changing him? Was he going to end up more werewolf than human? Just werewolf?  
  
M-21's blood (was it still his?) roared in his ears more, the edges of his vision darkening. His throat tightened up, his chest squeezing harder with every breath. His heart was thundering and was it changing him with every beat?   
  
Frankenstein moved closer, saying something, but it didn't matter. What the fuck did it matter? What _was_ he?   
  
M-21's skin tingled, but then there was a weight on his shoulder.   
  
"-to me." He heard Frankenstein's voice like he was hearing him through a tank. "We'll go for a walk, okay?"   
  
Why? So he could turn more into something he wasn't?   
  
M-21 stumbled out the lab anyway, the weight on his shoulder guiding him.   
  
Where was he being taken? He'd ignored a scientist and was going to be punished. He was being disposed of.   
  
They kept going until the white tiled walls gave way to wallpaper and carpeted floors.   
  
"Sit here."   
  
M-21 was eased onto something soft. Chair? There was a table and large tv in front of him.   
  
"Can you drink?"   
  
He nodded. Orders. Had to follow orders. Endure everything the scientists did to him. Show he was still useful.   
  
A glass of clear liquid with no scent. His hands trembled when he held it and he tried to steady them. Couldn't show fear in front of a scientist. Some loved seeing experiments tremble. Others thought it was a weakness. Weakness would get him disposed of.   
  
"M-21?"   
  
He was taking too long. "Yes, sir." He sounded muffled. Had to do what he was told. He drank the liquid in one go and waited.   
  
It didn't burn on the way down and it didn't have the raspy feeling of something dissolved in it either.   
  
Nothing happened. Something slow acting?   
  
"Do you know where you are?"   
  
A test. "The lab, sir." Words were hard to get out past his tight throat.   
  
"...Yes."  
  
He'd answered wrong. Fuck! Not specific enough? Did he have to say the city too? He was going to be punished for being wrong. Killed.   
  
The glass in his hands shattered.   
  
He hissed, hot sharp pain in his palms.   
  
His skin tingled and he saw the dog race over his skin towards his palm.   
  
Shit.   
  
Was it because of _that_? Had it been changing more of him as it ran over his body?   
  
It reached his hand and he knew what it was going to do.   
  
Had it been changing him every time it had _healed him_? He had to stop it. He couldn't concentrate enough to transform, not with his blood still roaring in his ears, not when he could barely drag any air into himself, but he was strong enough to _dig it ou_\-   
  
Something stopped his hands from moving.   
  
"Let's not do that, shall we?" The voice was soft and low and fuck. He'd fucked up. He'd lost control of himself in front of a scientist. He shook harder, biting his lip as he tried to stop.   
  
He tasted blood. Were his teeth changing now? Was he just-  
  
"M-21, I need you to take in a deep breath."   
  
He couldn't.   
  
"Breathe in."   
  
He _couldn't_.   
  
But he had to follow orders, no matter how he felt.   
  
He sucked in a breath and almost choked.   
  
"That's good." What? For breathing? "Now breathe out through your mouth."  
  
More nonsensical scientist instructions, but he did as he was told.   
  
He was told to do that a few more times and eventually his breathing became easier, his heartbeat slowing down.   
  
"How are you doing?"   
  
"Better, sir." He could still taste blood, and he was lightheaded from everything his body had done.   
  
"I'm just going to get the first-aid kit, all right? I'll be back in a minute."   
  
"Yes, sir." Why had his body done that? Was it breaking down again? Did he need more pills? Was he going to be tied to the lab again, relying on pills to keep him alive?  
  
The hands let go of his wrists and M-21 let them drop onto his lap, blood dripping onto his trousers.   
  
The dog was moving around his palm and he flinched, clenching his hand into a fist, a shard of glass embedding itself further into him. He could deal with pain. His enhanced healing would take care of it.   
  
He couldn't heal from turning into a werewolf.   
  
The dog could still reach the wounds from under his fingers.   
  
"M-21." He stiffened. "I need you to relax your hands for me."   
  
He opened his hands for the scientist. He couldn't see the dog from under all the blood.   
  
"Thank you." The scientist took M-21's closest hand and started cleaning it. Why...? What was the scientist going to do to his hands? Take them off so he wouldn't break anything else?  
  
"M-21, take in a deep breath."   
  
He did as he was told.   
  
The scientist continued cleaning his hand and instructing him when he breathe.   
  
The scientist's hands stilled. "Oh, da-" What had he done wrong? "Stop healing him - I need to take out the shards before his skin heals over them."   
  
Why did the scientist care? He would heal and the shard would come out eventually.   
  
It didn't take long for the scientist to ease the shards out of his palm but having the scientist's hands on him made M-21's skin crawl. M-21 focused on that feeling and his breathing and bit by bit, everything seemed to calm down, his thoughts slowing.   
  
...Fuck. He'd lost control in front of Frankenstein. Heat warmed his cheeks and embarrassment twisted his stomach. Frankenstein thought he was a bigger piece of shit now.   
  
M-21 watched Frankenstein bandage his hand.  
  
"Has this happened to you before?" Frankenstein asked him.   
  
When his master had awakened him, and M-21 could think of a few other times over the years. He'd tried to hide what was wrong, but M-24 could always tell; the scientists didn't notice. "No."   
  
"All right."  
  
M-21 could feel the dog under the bandages. He wanted to scratch at them but he kept his hands where they were.  
  
"There," Frankenstein said once he was finished, sitting back. "You should be able to take them off tonight if you don't scratch too much."  
  
M-21 nodded, taking his hand back. He slowly flexed his hands, feeling the ache as his muscles moved.   
  
He tensed when he heard Frankenstein exhale.   
  
"I apologise." What? "I hadn't considered how much of a shock that information would have been."   
  
M-21 stared at him. He'd found out he had an organ of a different _species_ in his body that was changing him and he was supposed to just carry on as normal? Fucking _scientists_.  
  
"We can discuss the rest of your results later," Frankenstein continued, "when you're feeling better."   
  
"I'm feeling better." Get it all done with at the same time rather than dragging it out.   
  
Frankenstein shook his head, clearing away what he'd used. "These results aren't as important or immediate. They can wait."  
  
And Frankenstein had thought his heart was a non-issue. The scientist didn't know M-21 would think was important.   
  
"Fine." He could try to find them later when Frankenstein was asleep.   
  
"Thank you. You can go," Frankenstein said as he stood up.   
  
M-21 nodded and left, trying to not look like he was running.   
  
Fuck. His legs felt like they couldn't hold his body, like he'd been fighting for an hour with no sleep. His body was exhausted and a few times M-21 almost tripped as he made his way to his room.   
  
He sank onto his bed, gripping the blanket under him. What the fuck had happened? He'd lost control of himself and Frankenstein...hadn't cared? Hadn't mocked him?   
  
Had _apologised_ to him?  
  
What the fuck. It had to be another scientist trick. Trying to lower his guard.   
  
His palms itched where his skin was knitting back together.   
  
M-21 stared at one of his hands. At the bandages. The Union scientists had never done that, leaving him and the rest of the M-series to heal on their own. It usually worked, but sometimes someone didn't get up again afterwards.   
  
A trick. That was all it was.   
  
Something Frankenstein did because it amused him. Like all scientists.   
  
His eyes drooped and M-21 curled up on the bed. Why had that taken so much out of him? He could think about it later, once he'd had a nap.   


* * *

  
When M-21 woke up, it was dark outside. He'd been sleeping for hours?   
  
He checked the bandages. The blood that had seeped through was already dark brown and hard, so that should mean he could take them off now.   
  
He tugged them off, and it didn't stick to his skin. He dumped the bandages in the bin and went to the bathroom.   
  
M-21 watched the water wash the dried blood off his hands. His skin was unmarked underneath it. Did he used to heal that fast or cleanly?  
  
He sighed, and then frowned at his wrist. His '21' tattoo was back.   
  
"We're not in the lab anymore," he said. It didn't move.   
  
He poked it. It vibrated for a second before settling. "...Okay." If that was what it wanted to do, he wouldn't stop it.   
  
M-21 picked his phone up from this bed and blinked at the new text message. It was from Frankenstein.  
  
[`If you have any questions, you can ask them here. You don't have to go to the lab if you don't feel comfortable. F`]  
  
M-21 stared at it. What? Why was... M-21 couldn't understand what Frankenstein was trying to do. Why wouldn't a scientist want someone they were studying in their lab?   
  
And if he didn't go to the lab, then where was Frankenstein supposed to collect his data?   
  
[`Okay.`] He had no questions for a scientist and he could go back into lab. He wasn't going to let his body's reactions stop him, especially if he had been ordered to go.   
  
And also if he wanted to see his other results.   
  
He hadn't figured out Frankenstein's schedule yet, but it was late enough he could be asleep.   


* * *

  
The lab was quiet. That wasn't hard when M-21 had still only seen Frankenstein and his master enter.   
  
The main doors swished open and - fuck. M-21 ducked away.   
  
Frankenstein was still there. His back had been to him and maybe the scientist hadn't heard the doors opening.   
  
M-21 snuck away. Next time.   


* * *

  
M-21 sat on the edge of a skyscraper rooftop, hearing the soft sounds of traffic far below him.   
  
What the fuck was he? He'd known from the start that he wasn't _as_ human after what had been done to him. He'd accepted that early on. He was a modified _human_, not anything else.   
  
Frankenstein had said he was human, but for how long? It had been three years since he'd first transformed - how human had he been back then compared to now? How long would it take before he wasn't human anymore?   
  
And how had it happened? Was it because of his healing? Whenever he transformed?   
  
M-21 sighed, glancing at his wrist. The wolf still hadn't moved. It could be because of that as well.   
  
He didn't know, and wouldn't know until he lost more of his humanity.   
  
He closed his eyes. There was nothing he could do about it.


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M-21 tries to adjust after M-24's death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains: Panic attack and suicidal ideation.
> 
> Whoops, I thought I would have more of the next part done by the time I posted this, but no. So not sure when that'll be done or posted.

M-21 frowned at his wrist. It had been a few hours since the wolf mark had turned itself into its old form. Normally, it could barely stay like that for five minutes before vibrating, trying to move.   
  
Was something wrong? Was it...sick? A mark on his skin couldn't get sick, could it?   
  
M-21 stared at the '21', but it didn't move.   
  
There was someone there who would have a better idea what was wrong with it. If there was something wrong.   
  
But it was so unnatural for it to be still for so long...   
  
It couldn't have... It couldn't have died, could it?   
  
M-21's stomach twisted.   
  
He didn't want to ask Frankenstein questions, but this wasn't something he could look up himself.   


* * *

  
"M-21?" Frankenstein's eyebrows went up when he saw M-21 entering his lab. "What's wrong?"  
  
M-21 pursed his lips before exhaling. "What does it mean when the mark stops moving?"   
  
"Stops...? I would guess sleeping, but I doubt that's the case. Can I see it?"   
  
M-21 was able to stop himself from curling his lip as he walked over to Frankenstein. Presenting his tattoo to a scientist was normally a way of identification and dehumanisation in the Union. Proof he was just a number.   
  
'Dehumanisation', hah...   
  
M-21 pulled back his sleeve and showed his wrist to Frankenstein.   
  
Frankenstein glanced at it. His brow furrowed. Fuck, was it bad?   
  
"This...was what it used to be?" Frankenstein said.   
  
Oh, right. "Yeah." The wolf had never went into its old form around Frankenstein.   
  
"I see." Frankenstein studied it for a few seconds before looking back at M-21. "Can I touch it?"  
  
M-21 stared at him blankly. "Yeah." Why was Frankenstein asking?   
  
Frankenstein nodded and then ran a finger around the outside of the tattoo.   
  
The tattoo vibrated. M-21 let out a breath of relief.   
  
"It moved?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Hm." Frankenstein took his hand back. "I unfortunately don't know that much about werewolves or their marks to give a definite answer. Master may have a better idea." His eyes drifted to the ceiling. "He's having tea right now and is willing to take a look."  
  
M-21 followed Frankenstein out the lab. The mark was still moving. That was good.   
  
Frankenstein's master was in the living room, his teacup back on its saucer when they entered. When he looked over, his eyes flicked to M-21's wrist.   
  
Frankenstein must have told him about it already.   
  
"Hm..."   
  
"Master? You know what's wrong?"  
  
Frankenstein's master nodded. "You were uncomfortable with him moving over your skin; he thinks you would feel better if he stayed in one place."   
  
Oh. ...Fuck. It was because of him? He wanted to wrap his hand around his wrist but he didn't. Not in front of Frankenstein and his master. "I thought it might be changing me more when it did that."   
  
"You are a...unique case," Frankenstein said, "but I doubt that is possible. Werewolves don't become more werewolf-like as the mark moves over them."   
  
That made sense...   
  
"The mark will grow with you," Frankenstein's master added. "He is a sign of how strong you are - it does not mean you are becoming less human."   
  
"Okay." M-21 looked between them, waiting to see if there was anything else they would say.   
  
Frankenstein's master turned back to his tea and Frankenstein went to the kitchen.   
  
Right. M-21 retreated to his own room.   


* * *

  
M-21 sat down at his desk, laying his arm down on it, wrist up. "Hey," he said, watching his tattoo. It didn't move.   
  
He ran a finger along the side like Frankenstein had done. It vibrated.   
  
M-21 smirked. Caught it. "I know you want to move. You don't have to stay like that anymore."   
  
It vibrated again before stilling. It was a response, at least.   
  
M-21 waited a few more seconds and his smirk faded. He sighed, pulling his sleeve over it again. "Yeah," he muttered, "I wouldn't trust someone who tried to kill me either."  
  
Talking wouldn't help. It had been less than a day since he'd tried to rip it out - that wasn't long enough. "I'm...glad you aren't dead," he said to empty air. He'd lost enough already.   
  
Nothing, not that M-21 was expecting one.   
  
There wasn't anything else he could do, so he left the room.   


* * *

  
"M-21...?"   
  
He looked up from his plate; Frankenstein was watching him from across the table. Damn. Was he being obvious?   
  
"Would you prefer something else to eat?"   
  
M-21 shook his head, glancing at his empty palm before fisting his hand. "Just waiting for the food to cool." Every time he had food, he let the wolf mark see what it was before starting to eat - he'd been waiting for the familiar feel of the mark passing over his skin.   
  
It might not be dead, but it almost felt like it.   
  
He kept expecting to feel it running up his arm as he ate, checking that he was putting food in his mouth like it always did.   
  
M-21 stopped eating after a few bites and left. It...didn't feel right.   
  
Nothing did. Eating without M-24 at his side. Eating without the wolf mark checking everything he ate. Eating food that was so _rich_ and had so much flavour each mouthful burned.   
  
They let him go without comment.   
  
He could still feel their eyes follow him.   


* * *

  
M-21's heart hurt. Which was fucking hilarious. It wasn't his but it still hurt.   
  
He wanted M-24 back.   
  
He just... He couldn't think. Nothing made sense. Everything was different.   
  
Was this any better than being at the Union? Or dead?   
  
If he was dead, he would be with M-24 again. He would see the rest of his comrades.   
  
He wouldn't have to think about what he was or would be.   
  
He could just-  
  
"Shit!" M-21 hissed, snapping his hand away.   
  
The wolf glowered back from his wrist, fur arched up in a way M-21 had never seen it before. There was a red mark next to it, where it had bitten him.   
  
"Wouldn't it be better for you if I did?" M-21 demanded. "You wouldn't be stuck to a fucking fail - fuck!"   
  
The wolf barked at him, ears flat. M-21's skin was already bruising from the second bite, teeth marks visible.  
  
"What the fuck do you want then?" M-21 spat. "You hate me so it'd be better for both of us-"  
  
This time the wolf howled.   
  
"_What_? I have no fucking idea what you're saying! Maybe if I actually _was_ a fucking werewolf I'd understand you, but I'm not. I'm not even a fucking human anymore and-" He cut himself off with a strangled cry, his blood thundering in his ears again. Why did this keep happening? Why did everything keep spiralling out of control and he couldn't do anything about it?   
  
Maybe even his heart was rejecting him and trying to kill him. If it went on for long enough, maybe he'd die.   
  
Good. Everything hurt. He didn't want to think anymore. No-one would care anyway. There was no-one left.   
  
Pressure against the side of his throat.   
  
"Ff-fucck off." It was hard to get the words out through his hitching breathing. Hard to talk when the wolf was pressing itself against his windpipe.   
  
Controlling how he was breathing.   
  
"Fuck off!" He didn't want breathe properly. He didn't want to carry on. Why the fuck was the wolf doing this? Revenge for trying to kill it? Make him live?   
  
Except saying that meant he breathed out, and the next time he breathed in, the wolf pressed against his throat again.   
  
Bastard! _Why_? Tears collected in M-21's eyes and then his breathing was uneven for another reason.   
  
He wanted to fucking _scream_ but that would draw attention and he couldn't afford that.   
  
He couldn't scream as he cried, loss and grief tight around his heart. The wolf stayed around his neck, crooning.   


* * *

  
M-21 woke up with sunlight streaming in through his window.   
  
Who cared. His body was still exhausted from the previous night, hunger pangs making themselves known.   
  
Who fucking cared.   
  
Why should he get out of b-  
  
His skin buzzed, the wolf running all over.   
  
M-21 groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. He'd missed the wolf's presence but he didn't fucking want to deal with-   
  
The wolf tugged at his ear.   
  
"What?" He scratched at it, grimacing.   
  
It barked and then ran off again. All over everything he was lying on.   
  
M-21 turned over, scratching where it'd ran over.   
  
It did it again, over what he was lying on.   
  
M-21 narrowed his eyes. "You want me to get up?"   
  
A bark along his back.   
  
"And you're going to be an annoying shit until I do?"   
  
Another bark, with a few tail wags.  
  
"Urgh, stubborn fucking asshole." M-21 pushed himself up, the wolf going to its usual vantage point at his jaw.   
  
"Do you..." M-21 trailed off as he entered the bathroom. "Never mind." It didn't matter.   
  
The wolf nipped his jaw.   
  
M-21 scratched at it, the wolf jumping around his fingers. "You like doing that now, don't you?" It wasn't the same as its previous bites, enough for M-21 to feel, not to hurt.   
  
A bark. And then another nip.   
  
M-21 stared at his reflection in the mirror. It was weird seeing the wolf moving around his face, but that was better than not seeing it at all. "What?"   
  
...He looked like shit, his hair clumped and messy, dark shadows under his bloodshot eyes. He felt like shit too. Was it really worth-  
  
The wolf bit him.   
  
Wait. M-21 narrowed his eyes at the wolf, the wolf staring back. "Are you biting me whenever...fuck." He could see the pattern now, but he didn't understand it. "Whenever I'm unhappy?"  
  
The wolf barked and then shook its head.   
  
"Then I have no fucking idea why."  
  
The wolf's ears flicked back.   
  
Was he being fucking stupid and not understanding something simple?   
  
This time the wolf pressed up against his jaw and then curled up up there.   
  
"...Fine." He'd work out the pattern eventually.   
  
The wolf wagged its tail.   
  
Once M-21 was finished in the bathroom, he stared at his reflection again, bracing himself on the sink. "You don't hate me?" Why was it out again if it did?   
  
A shake of the head.   
  
"Oh. Okay." M-21 glanced away. "Thanks."   
  
He got a soft nip for that before the wolf started dashing around his body.   
  
He sighed, getting ready. It had been a while since the wolf had run around like it wanted so it wasn't surprising it was making up for it now.   


* * *

  
M-21 glanced around the living room. No-one else there and he headed for the front door.   
  
He slowed when the wolf barked in the direction of the kitchen. There was no-one there...?   
  
The wolf kept barking until M-21 turned direction with a sigh. "What do you want?" he muttered.   
  
He was led to the fridge and M-21 looked at it, his hunger pangs making themself known again.   
  
"I don't need to eat right now." He'd gone longer without food.   
  
He got a nip for that.   
  
"Fine." He could take a few minutes to find something.   
  
It didn't take long and he held his palm close to the food once he was done. "Does it pass your inspection?"   
  
The wolf wagged its tail, and raced up to his face when he picked it up.   
  
It was nice feeling it do that again.   
  
While M-21 cleaned the plate after he finished eating, the wolf played with the water spray as it flowed over his skin. The wolf always checked his food before he ate. At the Union, when he was hungry the wolf would start paying more attention to food stores - M-21 had ignored it back then, because they'd be in the middle of a mission and had needed to keep a low profile.   
  
M-21 frowned. It had always been like this. The wolf had always been trying to make sure he'd ate. Looking out for him. He just hadn't realised.   
  
"Hey," M-21 said, turning the tap off. The wolf looked up at him, head tilted. "Thanks. For everything." And he'd repaid it by trying to ki-  
  
The wolf nipped him.   
  
M-21 frowned. He still couldn't figure out what it was reacting to.   
  
It wasn't biting him at least.   


* * *

  
M-21 entered Frankenstein's lab, his hands jammed in his pockets.   
  
The scientist was standing in front of one of the tall machines, scribbling on a clipboard. He hadn't noticed M-21 yet and as M-21 approached, the top half of the machine rose up with a billow of steam.   
  
M-21 exhaled, clenching his hands as the smoke cleared. What was in it? Blood samples? Body parts? What experiment was Frankenstein doing?   
  
"Ah, excellent timing!" Frankenstein said, smiling at him. Fuck. What was he getting pulled into? "If I could have a few moments of your time?"   
  
"...Sure." Frankenstein was asking like he had a choice. Weird.   
  
Frankenstein hummed, reaching around the other side of the machine and pulled out...tongs and a plate? He used the tongs to pull out - M-21 frowned.   
  
"I'm trying a new recipe and I would like your opinion on them."   
  
The fuck? Frankenstein had presented him with cookies. Maybe it was a test for some new drug but M-21 couldn't smell anything.   
  
...In fact... M-21 finally placed why this lab smelled weird, not like one from the Union.   
  
It lacked the scent of blood.   
  
It only smelled of food.   
  
The wolf had already gone to his palm and was going around in circles, barking. Would it know if the cookies had been drugged?   
  
It wouldn't matter anyway. He would have to eat them.   
  
M-21 picked up a cookie and inspected it. It seemed like chocolate chip - he bit it and his teeth sank right through, the chocolate soft.   
  
"How is it?" Frankenstein asked, his pen at the ready.   
  
"Sweet," M-21 said after swallowing. The chocolate still coated the inside of his mouth, making the taste linger.   
  
"Is it overpowering? Too sugary?"   
  
M-21 shook his head. He'd tasted Frankenstein's cooking - it wasn't as strong in comparison.   
  
"Great!" Frankenstein beamed at him. "You can take the rest."  
  
M-21 stared at the filled rack in the machine. "All right." If he didn't get any side effects, it would take him a while to finish them all.   
  
"Now then," Frankenstein said as M-21 collected the cookies, "what did you want to see me for?"  
  
"My other results from the checkup," M-21 said, holding the plate. He wouldn't eat more yet.   
  
Frankenstein nodded and went over to one of the computers that lined the wall. "They were as I expected considering your situation."  
  
M-21 pursed his lips, following him.   
  
It took a few quick clicks before a window popped up on screen, filled with numbers. Hn, that seemed like it was easy to get to.   
  
"You're malnourished and more specifically have iron and vitamin d deficiencies," Frankenstein said, scanning the numbers.   
  
M-21's stomach sank. "Pills then," he muttered. He'd just arrived and he was already getting tied to the new lab.   
  
Frankenstein chuckled at that; M-21 was able to stop himself from curling his lip at the scientist. "The malnutrition and iron deficiencies can be dealt with through diet."   
  
All that food Frankenstein had prepared for dinner... "And vitamin d?"   
  
"Sunlight, at least thirty minutes every day."   
  
What. But then...most of M-21's missions had taken place at night or underground.   
  
"And that's it. Eat food and go outside?" That sounded far too easy.   
  
"You'd be surprised how much that can affect, which brings me to my next point."   
  
M-21 eyed him warily. What now.   
  
"Your documents have been processed so you'll be able to start working at my school next week."   
  
It was a waste of time pointing out he didn't _have_ documents to process, or had given Frankenstein any details - Frankenstein must have pulled some strings to get him in.  
  
"Fine." It might help give him something else to think about.   


* * *

  
M-21 stared at himself in the mirror. The suit fit him, but it felt too restrictive.   
  
He wasn't supposed to fight in it though. Just watch over some brats for a couple of hours.   
  
The wolf circled his neck, scratching at the collar.   
  
"Oi," he said, rubbing where it was. He could hear the collar tearing little by little. "Stop that."   
  
A soft grumble as a reply, the wolf popping its head over his collar to look at him.   
  
"I need to wear it for work." It was weird saying that. Work. He'd worked in the Union, but those had been missions. 'Work' was something unmodified humans did.   
  
He was neither unmodified, or completely human.   
  
And yet, there he was, standing in front of a mirror. Getting ready for 'work'.   
  
"You have to stay hidden while I'm out during the day." It would draw attention if anyone saw the wolf mark.   
  
The wolf huffed and then trailed down his arm. When it stopped at his wrist, he realised what it was going to do.   
  
"You don't have to change," he said, pulling sleeve back. "Just stay out of sight." No-one at the school would know he used to have a tattoo.  
  
The wolf perked up and with a wagging tail, started dashing around his body again.   
  
It might be slightly distracting but it meant he knew it was there. That he wasn't completely alone.


	4. Growth [Part 1]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M-21 grows, and with it, so does the tattoo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains: Mention of suicidal ideation.
> 
> Not the scenes I was thinking of doing in the previous part, but ah well.
> 
> Also, this ended up being over 10k, so I'll be posting this in four parts. XDDD;
> 
> Thanks to Madame Azure for all the support and cheering on while I was writing this. :D

"M, hold still for a sec, will ya?"   
  
M-21 turned his head to see Tao leaning over the back of the sofa, a measuring tape in hand. Measuring for a suit or a new idea? If it was, Tao would have asked him to stan-  
  
"You too, Wolfy!"   
  
Wolf-? The wolf tattoo barked on the back of M-21's hand, sitting still as Tao placed the tape next to it.   
  
"What are you..." It was obvious what Tao was doing. "Why?"   
  
"I'm measuring Wolfy's growth!" Tao said, as he pulled out a white card from a pocket. He set the tape next to an edge and marked a line on it. "I've made a growth chart an' everything!'   
  
A growth what? "Why...?" But it was Tao. He did things because he felt like it.   
  
"'Cause it's super important!"   
  
And that was as much explanation as M-21 was going to get.   
  
Tao waved the card towards the wolf tattoo, showing it the lines he'd made. "You've grown _this_ much!"   
  
M-21 peered at the card. The difference between the highest mark and the one under it was barely a millimetre. "When did you take the last measurement?" And how hadn't he noticed? There were at least four marks on the card.   
  
"About a week ago," Tao said as the wolf sniffed at the card.   
  
Was a millimetre a week a lot? What would happen if it grew so much it couldn't move over his skin?   
  
...He wouldn't live that long.   
  
M-21 looked down when the wolf nipped a knuckle. The wolf locked gazes with him, M-21 feeling the rumble of its growl.   
  
He still hadn't figured why it nipped him sometimes, but it seemed satisfied if he changed what he was thinking about at the time.   
  
"You two okay?" Tao said.   
  
"Yeah," M-21 said, scratching at where the wolf had nipped him, the wolf dancing around his fingertips. "It doesn't always agree with what I'm thinking about."  
  
"Heh, guess you can't walk away from each other if you have an argument," Tao said, waving his fingers at the wolf.   
  
Not really. But it could stop interacting with him. M-21 ran his finger over the wolf's head, feeling its tail thump against his skin.   
  
"Oh, I see who the favourite is," Tao said with a exaggerated sniff.   
  
"He's known me for longer."  
  
Tao squinted at the wolf. "If I can find out what your favourite food is, maybe you'll like me more."   
  
M-21's heart lurched for a second before he squashed the familiar feeling down. "It doesn't eat."   
  
M-21 exhaled when the wolf ducked under his hand and dashed up his arm. He closed his eyes when the wolf circled his heart and then settled over it. The wolf didn't howl this time.   
  
"I'm fine," M-21 muttered, rubbing over it. The feeling would ease.   
  
M-21 blinked when Tao poked his forehead. "If you were, Wolfy wouldn't'a - well, do whatever he's doing right now."  
  
M-21 waved Tao's hand away. "I'm fine," he repeated. "You just..." He exhaled again, pursing his lips. ...The wolf really had grown since he'd arrived - it was bigger against his heart compared to the last time it had done that.   
  
He swallowed, his breathing hitching.   
  
"M?" Tao settled next to him.   
  
He shook his head. "It's..." It wasn't nothing. M-24 would never be nothing. "M-24 tried to feed it once," he said, still rubbing his chest. "All it wanted was for '24 to feed me."   
  
"Oooh. Sorry."  
  
M-21 shrugged.   
  
"Sooo," Tao said, leaning against M-21's side, "if food doesn't work - what about toys?"   
  
M-21 stared at him. "You want me to throw a ball and see if it chases it?"  
  
Tao waggled his eyebrows, grinning. "Have you _tried?_"   
  
"...No."   
  
Tao peered at M-21's exposed skin, grin fading. "He's not going to come out for a bit, is he?"  
  
M-21 rubbed his chest again. "I don't think so."   
  
Tao hummed, drumming his fingers on his knee. "Well, if I can't feed or play with Wolfy, how 'bout _we_ get something to eat instead?"   
  
The ache was still there, but M-21 nodded, getting up.   
  


* * *

  
Tao squinted at the sizzling pan, hand inching towards the bacon. "I throw it in?"   
  
"Doesn't it explode if you put something cold on something hot?" M-21 was sure he'd heard that somewhere.   
  
Tao twisted to look at him, eyes wide and eyebrows raised. "That works for food as well?" Tao pulled out his phone and his fingers were a blur as he typed. "Ack, you're right - guess we should wait a couple minutes," Tao said as M-21 switched the heat off.   
  
M-21 wasn't sure just how good the wolf's senses were, but he felt it pad up his chest and cross his neck to rest at his jaw.   
  
"No interesting explosions to see here," Tao said, waggling his fingers at the wolf, moving the pan away. "Buuut..." He flicked his wrist, a cable spiralling out. He rolled it between his palms, the ball growing with each pass. When it was about the size of the wolf's head, Tao pinched the cable, detaching it. "Do you wanna play ball while we wait?"   
  
M-21 didn't feel the wolf wag its tail like he thought it would. Huh.   
  
Tao tossed the ball between his hands. "You get to chase it around! Sound fun?"   
  
Tao flicked the ball at M-21.   
  
M-21 caught it in one hand. The wolf didn't move.   
  
Tao's face fell. "Aww, you don't like it?"   
  
"Do wolves like playing with toys?" M-21 said. They were wild animals, but did the wolf tattoo count as the same?   
  
The wolf moved down towards his arm and M-21 held the ball in his palm. He knew it could affect something touching his skin, but he'd never seen it try to interact with something like this.   
  
The wolf circled the ball a couple times, not touching it.   
  
"Eeem," Tao said, craning his neck to peer at the wolf, "roll it around."   
  
Snorting, M-21 tilted his hand enough the ball moved.   
  
The wolf followed but still didn't touch it.   
  
Tao's shoulders slumped. "Damn. Maybe Wolfy'll like a different toy." He waved a hand over the pan and nodded. "Do you think he'd like bacon?"   
  
M-21 grimaced. "You're not throwing bits of bacon at me." He tossed Tao's cable-ball back at him.   
  
A cable shot out of Tao's wrist as he moved the pan back in place, snatching the ball in the air. It rippled once, and the ball was reabsorbed into the cable.   
  
"I wouldn't throw them!" Tao said, laying the bacon in the pan, the cable disappearing up his sleeve again. "I'd hold them close and see how Wolfy reacted."   
  
M-21 shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips no matter how he tried to hide it.   
  
Tao turned the heat on. He threw his fists up in the air with a cheer. "No explosion! Right," Tao said, clapping his hands once, "what else do you want on this ultra deluxe sandwich?"   
  
Uh... He had to choose?   
  


* * *

  
"Why are you filthy enhanced humans hanging around here?"   
  
M-21 hid his frown, staring at the blond guy who'd shown up on Ye Ran's grounds. Shit. Who was he to know and announce that in public?   
  
"Who are you?" M-21 asked, narrowing his eyes. "Why are you here?" Could they get the stranger away from the school before he attacked?   
  
"You dare..."  
  
The stranger disappeared.   
  
The f-  
  
Pain exploded in M-21's lower back. He could hear the guy saying something else but he couldn't concentrate on the words, an anger roaring through him alongside the blood that thundered in his ears. There was something inside him. Fist. Felt fist sized. And it _shouldn't be there_.   
  
A yelp of pain pierced the air and the fist was yanked out. M-21 had enough awareness to feel the wolf at his back as he whirled around.   
  
The stranger's face was a mask of anger as he held his hand close to his chest. Blood dripped from his hand but that wasn't enough to hide the small ring of pinpricks on the back of his hand.   
  
"You _bit_ me!" the stranger spluttered.   
  
"I..." Fierce pride swelled in M-21 seeing that. He might have been too slow to react, but the wolf wasn't.   
  
The guy was fast and M-21 braced for when he attacked ag-  
  
"_RAEL_!" Regis' voice echoed around the schoolyard and M-21 relaxed a little bit. More back up. Good.   
  
With all of them together, they should be able to protect the school.   
  


* * *

  
M-21 winced, his back throbbing. It was healing, faster than he'd healed before, but it still fucking hurt.   
  
The wolf circled the wound, but it didn't touch the stitches, only licking the edges.   
  
"Hnn..." M-21 said, tapping close to where it was to get its attention.   
  
The wolf paused, going towards his fingers.   
  
"Thanks for earlier." It had been hectic for a while - he hadn't had a chance to properly talk with the wolf until then. "If you hadn't been there..." The noble had had his guts in his hand. That could have been it for him.   
  
The wolf barked twice, tail swishing as it went back to his wound.   
  
"Focus on getting better, huh..." M-21 sighed. It was hard to do when the wound was a constant reminder of how slow he'd been -   
  
The wolf nipped him.   
  
"Fine." Heal up and get ready for whatever happened next.


	5. Growth [Part 2]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M-21 grows, and with it, so does the tattoo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Madame Azure for all the support and cheering on while I was writing this. :D
> 
> So I ended up splitting this into five parts, since the fourth part was double the size of the others anyway, ahahah.

  
  
  
M-24 was alive. Hearing M-24's breathing and the steady beep of the heart monitor was proof M-24 was alive in front of him, but M-21 clutched his comrade's hand as he rested, just to make sure. To make sure he was actually there. '24's had was cooler than it used to be, but it was still there.   
  
The wolf was curled around his hand, as close to M-24 as possible.   
  
M-24 was _alive_. Once '24 was back on his feet, they could show him everything he'd missed.  
  


* * *

  
M-21 dragged in a deep breath into his aching lungs as he came to. His skin was tender and bruised like... Like he'd been smashed into the ground and stomped on. Right. Because that was what had happened.   
  
It didn't feel like he had any broken bones, no sharp pain anywhere and he wasn't wrapped up in any casts. He was covered in bandages instead.   
  
"Good morning," M-21 heard and he exhaled, recognising Frankenstein's voice.   
  
"How's the others?" M-21 asked as he pulled himself up to sit back against the headrest. The other two beds in the recovery room were empty.   
  
His muscles protested at the movement, but they were still able to hold his weight. Just, and M-21 gritted his teeth against the wave of nausea that rose up from his stomach. The poison hadn't completely left his system then.   
  
Why the fuck had M-24... It didn't fucking matter now, did it. M-24 had made his choice.   
  
...But maybe he hadn't. If M-24 had been promised something, if something else had developed M-21 didn't know about...  
  
"I was able to convince them to eat rather than hovering," Frankenstein said with a small wry smile.   
  
M-21 frowned, putting the thoughts away. He could think about it later. Takeo and Tao had woken up before him? How badly hurt had he been?   
  
"You were affected differently by the poison," Frankenstein said, holding out a glass of water to him.   
  
M-21 took it, clenching his hand first, trying to stop the trembling. Fuck.   
  
"It wasn't in your system for as long, but because of that, you used up more resources to fight it off."  
  
He sighed at the coolness of the glass, holding it for a second to make sure he could keep his hands steady.   
  
Once he kept the glass still, M-21 sipped from the straw, closing his eyes at the relief that brought.   
  
"How are you feeling?"   
  
"I'm..." M-21 frowned, feeling the wolf stir. It had been resting on his shoulder but as it moved towards his neck, M-21 could feel the difference from before.   
  
It was double the size it used to be. Before, it would have fit easily in the palm of his hand, but now it should reach from fingertip to the bottom of his palm.   
  
"The fuck?"   
  
"What's wrong?" Frankenstein said, studying him.   
  
M-21 shook his head, gesturing towards his neck as the wolf emerged from underneath the bandages.   
  
Frankenstein's eyebrows rose. "You have grown, haven't you?" he cooed, crouching a little to take a closer look at the wolf.   
  
The wolf wagged its tail and barked once at Frankenstein before pressing up against M-21's jaw.   
  
Frankenstein wasn't surprised. Of course he wasn't.   
  
"The mark grows in tandem to your own power. From what I heard," Frankenstein said, his gaze drifting, "werewolves would gauge the strength of their opponent by the size of their mark."   
  
What? "I don't feel stronger right now," M-21 muttered, staring down at the barely still glass in his hand. He'd been weaker than this, like when his body had been breaking down, but he didn't feel like he'd grown.   
  
Frankenstein chuckled softly. "The adage 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger' is _very_ apt for those with werewolf healing powers. Your body will be stronger once you're fully recovered."   
  
...Huh. M-21 traced a finger along his jaw, the wolf chasing it. ...It was slower than usual. Lethargic from the poison, or from growing so fast?   
  
"How big can they grow?" Would it run out of space eventually? What happened then?   
  
"Hmm," Frankenstein said, loosely crossing his arms. "I did know one whose mark was so large, its head was the size of his torso."   
  
M-21 stared at him. They could grow that big? That was the real strength of a true werewolf, huh...  
  
The wolf barked towards the window and M-21 looked out it. There was no-one there and he sighed, downing the rest of the water. "You want me to go outside?"   
  
The wolf barked again, wagging its tail.   
  
He glanced at Frankenstein, who smiled back. "So long as you don't do anything strenuous."  
  
No rooftop hopping. Not that he was going to do that anyway - his legs didn't feel like they could hold him for that long. M-21 nodded, taking the glass out the room with him.   
  


* * *

  
M-21 heard someone moving around in the kitchen as he opened the door.   
  
"You're up," Takeo said, a relieved smile spreading over his face.   
  
"Just." M-21 shrugged. "Where's Tao?" If Tao was around, he would have tackled M-21 by now.   
  
Takeo's smile softened as he pulled out his phone. "In his room - he was dozing off while eating; I was able to convince him to go to bed before he hit the floor."  
  
"So long as you told him when I was awake," M-21 added, smirking. He walked past and started washing his glass, the wolf dancing around the spray.  
  
"Of course." Takeo tapped a few times on his phone before pocketing it again. "What are you going to do now?"  
  
M-21 set the glass on the drying rack. "It wants to go out. Probably bored waiting while I've been recovering."  
  
The wolf barked towards the front door and M-21 sighed, shaking his head. "All right, I'm going." He raised an eyebrow at Takeo.   
  
"Sunlight would be good right now," Takeo said, following in step with him.   
  
M-21 tilted his head up at the house when they stepped outside. Normally jumping up to the roof was easy but even the thought made his muscles ache in preparation.   
  
He turned his head at a soft thump, Takeo carrying out a pair of deck chairs.   
  
"I forgot we had those," M-21 said, taking one and opening it in the garden. It wouldn't be the same open view as the rooftop, but the wolf wasn't complaining.   
  
"We haven't had a lot of free time to sit outside." Takeo opened his own and eased himself down onto it with a sigh.   
  
"That's putting it mildly," M-21 muttered. But they were outside now - there was only a few people walking down the street, but voices could carry and who knew who was listening.  
  
The wind picked up and M-21 scratched his arm where Takeo's hair drifted across to him.   
  
The wolf ran over, probably happy to just see something that wasn't the same four - M-21 snapped his attention to his arm, feeling Takeo's hair drag over his skin.   
  
Which was what the wolf was doing: it had grabbed a part of Takeo's hair and was running up and down his arm with it like it was a stick.   
  
"How the fuck are you-" M-21 grimaced. "Stop that," he said, scratching where Takeo's hair had been.   
  
A muffled bark, the wolf shaking its head.   
  
"It's fine," Takeo said, scooting closer with the deck chair. "He's having fun."   
  
"It has your _hair_," M-21 said, the wolf ducking away as he tried to grab Takeo's hair.   
  
"Mm. He's playing - my hair's still in one piece."   
  
...That was true. M-21 scowled at the wolf, which was on his wrist, but all that did was make the wolf wag its tail harder. "Can you carry it _away_ from my skin?" It felt weird.   
  
The wolf tilted its head at him.   
  
Right. If Takeo's hair wasn't on his skin, the wolf wouldn't be able to touch it.  
  
"Don't get tangled up then," M-21 grumbled. If it got knotted, they'd have to cut Takeo's hair.   
  
The wolf barked again, and started running laps up and down M-21's arm.   
  
He'd gotten used to the wolf's presence over the years - he could do with hair on his skin for a couple minutes.   
  


* * *

  
M-21 couldn't breathe, hands holding himself up. It wasn't because he'd been throttled seconds ago he was trembling, his brain stuttering. It was circling the same thought, locking him in and he couldn't break the cycle.   
  
That was a werewolf. That was an actual _fucking werewolf_ standing there.   
  
Whose mark was blood red, taking up the werewolf's entire chest as it snarled at M-21, mirroring the werewolf's sneer.   
  
A mark's size was an indicator of the werewolf's strength.   
  
Too strong. The werewolf was too strong.   
  
Words were being said. He _knew_ words were being said, the werewolf's lips moving and he could see Takeo and Tao moving in his periphery but he couldn't make any sense of it. Everything was buzzing in his ears and that was how much he was worth, wasn't it? All those years struggling to survive and get stronger, and he was _nothing_ compared to-  
  
"Ow!" he hissed, clasping his shoulder. His hand came away bloody. It wasn't a big wound, a smudged red circle.   
  
The wolf was barking so much it made his skin vibrate.   
  
"What do you want me to d-"  
  
It bit him again. Not as hard, but enough to make him suck in a breath.   
  
What the fuck was he _doing_? He was staring off in space as Takeo and Tao fought the werewolf.   
  
There was no _time_ to think what he was supposed to do. The others would _die_ if he took too long.   
  
M-21 lurched to his feet, gathering up the energy to transform. It had to be because he'd already transformed that he was lightheaded, not quite feeling like he fit in his own skin.   
  
Anger throbbed as he clenched his fists and bared his fangs. Takeo and Tao had been hurt enough. They wouldn't let it happen any more.   
  
They transformed with a howl, power coursing through them.   
  
They were going to protect their pack.   
  


* * *

  
Everything ached when M-21 came to. But it wasn't just from pain his skin buzzed.   
  
"Kekeke, almost! You almost got it!"   
  
M-21 opened his eyes a slit, seeing Tao waving a laser pointer at him. Urgh.   
  
"Huh? You don't like it anymore?"   
  
The wolf raced up M-21's arm.  
  
"Is somebody awake an' didn't wanna tell meee?" Tao leaned over and poked M-21's cheek just as the wolf reached it.   
  
M-21 would have swatted his hand away if he had the energy to.   
  
...Something was off.   
  
The wolf had grown again.   
  
"Just woke up," M-21 rasped, grimacing. His mouth felt like paper. "How big?" It was hard to tell with the wolf constantly moving.   
  
"Longer than your forearm," Takeo said, holding out a glass of water.   
  
Tao nodded. "Yeah, if he was any bigger, we'd have'ta play chase on yer chest."  
  
M-21 sipped the water, sighing in relief. "What about not doing it at all." Takeo and Tao were all right. They were bandaged up, but they were there with him. That was good. They had been...  
  
Protected.   
  
M-21 frowned.   
  
"Becaaause," Tao said, twirling the laser pointer, "he worries a lot if he's not distracted. I don't have Takeo's hair and we didn't think it'd be a good idea to have something else touching yer skin and disturbing you anyway."  
  
What had happened during that fight? M-21 remembered transforming but the rest of it was-  
  
"So!" Tao clapped his hands. "You all right to get food or do you want us to bring it to you?"  
  
M-21 didn't say anything for a few seconds, studying Tao's face, before he sighed. "Do I need distracted as well?"   
  
Tao smiled. "Maaaybe."  
  
Right. It wasn't like he could think that clearly right now when he was in pain and hungry. "Fine. I can get up."   
  
He could try to think more later.   
  


* * *

  
"That was the biggest upgrade to yer transformation yet!" Tao said as they made their way up the stairs, plates in hand.   
  
...It was? He'd transformed and then...   
  
It wasn't clear like the other times he'd transformed. A blur of anger, the urge to _protect_. Protect his... The word slipped through his fingers like it didn't exist.   
  
But it wasn't right. M-21 _knew_ his anger. Knew what that felt like. It was tied to his feelings of helplessness, where he had to lash out to prove he was worth _something_, that he had enough strength to be allowed to exist.   
  
That had been different.   
  
It hadn't been _his_.   
  
"Em?" Tao nudged him with an elbow as they entered M-21's room. Tao's room was closer, but they gravitated towards M-21's room since that had the most space left in it.   
  
"What was it like...?" M-21 asked softly.   
  
The look Takeo and Tao shared was all he needed to know.   
  
Fuck.   
  
"Didn't have the time to take pictures," Tao said as he sat on M-21's bed, "but you were actually less furry? And your hair stood up looked like you'd been shocked."  
  
"You didn't...seem yourself," Takeo added, taking one of M-21's chairs.   
  
Tao nodded. "You went on all fours a couple times."  
  
It was hard to breathe, ice chilling his gut.   
  
"You don't remember, do you...?" Takeo's voice was distant, like he was hearing it through a tank.   
  
Something wrapped around his wrist and tugged him towards the bed. Takeo and Tao were too far, and it was too thin to be a hand. Had to be one of Tao's cables.   
  
M-21 followed it, Tao taking his plate.   
  
"'M'fine," he mumbled and Tao nudged him.   
  
"You're a bad liar when you're surprised."   
  
M-21 exhaled when Takeo down next to him.   
  
"It was the first time you've transformed like that - you'll be able to control it," Takeo said.  
  
Would he? _Could_ he control it if it wasn't even _him_? When it was some instincts that he didn't even know what it _wanted_?   
  
The wolf pressed against his throat just hard enough to be felt. Not to control his breathing. Not to control him.   
  
M-21 scratched at it, taking a deep breath. "Yeah."  
  
He needed to talk with Frankenstein or Raizel-nim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the canon parts done for now. :) I was going to cover M-21's first meeting with Mark, but it just ended up rehashing the same thing as canon, so didn't seem interesting.


	6. Growth [Part 3]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M-21 grows, and with it, so does the tattoo.

  
  
  
The wolf was curled around the back of M-21's neck since it couldn't fit along his jawline anymore as M-21 went into the living room, trying to find Frankenstein or Raizel-nim.   
  
They were both sitting around the table and M-21 hesitated at the doorway. He was disturbing them. They didn't need his-  
  
The wolf nipped his ear as Raizel-nim turned around to look at him.   
  
...Fine. He couldn't back out now.   
  
"Are you busy?" he asked, stepping in. The wolf nipped him again and he scratched his ear. He wasn't delaying - they had other, more important things to wor-  
  
The wolf nipped him again. M-21 sighed.   
  
"Of course not," Frankenstein said, gesturing to one of the other seats. "Is there something you want to talk about?"   
  
"...Yeah." The wolf would keep bugging him until he talked to them.   
  
He sat down on the chair opposite Raizel-nim and gazed at his tea cup for a few seconds, trying to collect his thoughts, the words he needed.   
  
"My transformation changed again," he said, not lifting his gaze, still staring at the cup. If he looked away, if he looked at them -the ones who'd never had his problems- he might stop talking.   
  
"You became even stronger? Well done." There was warmth in Frankenstein's voice but M-21 snorted, gritting his teeth.   
  
"I wouldn't know. I can't remember what happened." He clenched his hands, his nails digging into his palms. "I think-" He pursed his lips. He _knew_ what happened. But to fucking _say_ it, to reveal he'd been fucking weak _ag_-  
  
The wolf nipped him.   
  
"Fuck off," he muttered, rubbing at the bite. First it wanted him to talk to them, but then it didn't want him talking about it. What the fuck did it want him to do?  
  
"M-21?"   
  
M-21 screwed his eyes shut, running a hand through his hair. "Something happened when I transformed. I can't-" He sucked in a breath, gritting his teeth. "I can't remember much about what happened during the fight, but I know it wasn't _me_."   
  
"I see."   
  
He'd lost control. He hadn't hurt Takeo or Tao this time, but what about the next time? What if it lasted longer?   
  
"Just... How long until it takes over me completely?" Until he never came back. The real werewolf seemed to still have his mind, but he'd been born as a werewolf. M-21 hadn't been. He was probably just too weak to fight it off-   
  
"It will not."   
  
M-21 blinked, staring at Raizel-nim's tea cup.   
  
"But I lost control once," M-21 said. "If I can't fight it off-"  
  
"M-21," Raizel-nim said, and M-21 stopped. But he was right - it was what was going to happen again. "Were you and the mark fighting when you transformed?"  
  
Why was he asking about the wolf? "Yeah. It'd bit me."   
  
"Why?"  
  
M-21 didn't say anything for a few seconds, his stomach churning in guilt. "I'd frozen. I couldn't..." He pursed his lips. "I couldn't move."   
  
"And then?"  
  
"We transformed."  
  
"We."   
  
"Yeah, w..." M-21 trailed off. We? Was he starting to think he and the wolf were the same? But that would have been an I.   
  
"We...wanted to protect Takeo and Tao." The anger that wasn't his: it had been the wolf's anger at Takeo and Tao being hurt.  
  
M-21 heard Raizel-nim sip his tea. "Your strong connection and agreement with the mark helped you to access your true power."   
  
...Huh. He scratched at his neck, the wolf dancing around his fingertips. "The more we agree..."  
  
"The stronger the both of you will become. That cannot happen if you are fighting against each other. The mark cannot take full control of your body," Raizel-nim said.   
  
M-21 let out a deep breath, sagging. "Okay. Good." He took another breath. "Thanks." If Raizel-nim said he wouldn't lose control, then he wouldn't.   
  


* * *

  
"Ah, M-21, are you busy?"  
  
M-21 blinked at Frankenstein as he approached him. "No?" They'd just finished washing the dishes after dinner - when they were recovering after a fight, that was the maximum they were allowed to do. Other than that, they were to rest. All they had was free time now.   
  
"Good." Frankenstein smiled. "I was wondering if you wanted to chat for a few minutes about the mark?"  
  
M-21 frowned. Had they done something wrong?   
  
"You aren't in trouble," Frankenstein said. "I just wanted to clarify a few things."   
  
They'd done something wrong. "Sure." Better to get it over and done with as quickly as possible.   
  
M-21 followed him up the stairs, not down towards the lab. Raizel-nim had said he wouldn't be taken over the the wolf, but was there something else? Something in his body had changed about him?  
  
Frankenstein led him to one of the empty bedrooms in the house. The walls were bare and had the standard bed and desk. Hn.   
  
Frankenstein took one of the chairs, gesturing M-21 the other.   
  
"Now," Frankenstein said after M-21 sat down, "you mentioned earlier that the mark bit you?"  
  
That was what this was about? Was that surprising? "Yeah," M-21 said, "it does that sometimes."   
  
A crease appeared between Frankenstein's brow, and that only happened when he was trying to not frown. Shit. He _had_ done something wrong.   
  
"Do you know why the mark does that?"   
  
M-21 shrugged, eyeing Frankenstein as he tried to figure out what he was thinking. "It doesn't like what I'm thinking." He paused, thinking it over. "Or wants me to do something." That was new.   
  
"For example?"  
  
M-21 sighed. "I don't know." He still hadn't figured out what the wolf reacted to - it would sometimes nip him when he was alone or when he was with other people. The thoughts had been different each time as well.   
  
"Hm. Can you remember what you were thinking about when it bit you? Like earlier."   
  
Oh. That. "It nipped me when I didn't want to bother you, and..." He mulled it over. "I thought I was being weak." He waited for the nip, but it didn't happen. Hm. It was hard to tell when the wolf would nip him or not. Maybe it wasn't paying attention all the time to nip him.   
  
"I see..." Frankenstein was silent for a few seconds, tapping the tips of his fingers together. "Would you be able to make a list of what you were thinking of when the mark bit you, as well as the intensity of the bite?"   
  
Oh, of course Frankenstein was interested in getting more data. "Yeah." Frankenstein would see a pattern better than him.   
  
Frankenstein smiled at him. "Thank you."   
  


* * *

  
M-21 stared up at his bedroom ceiling before he sighed, turning over and reaching for his phone.   
  
"Do _you_ remember all the times you've nipped me?" M-21 muttered, seeing the wolf sniff around the phone as he read over the list. There were more times than what he had, but most of the nips had been small moments that weren't memorable. Only two moments really stood out, and they were already on the list.   
  
Was the list enough? Would Frankenstein want more?   
  
Frankenstein would want more; Frankenstein wanted as much data as he could get.   
  
Shit, was his memory that bad? Did he need to add dates and put the list in chronological order? He'd used to pay attention to everything because his life had depended on it, and now he couldn't do something as simple as-  
  
The wolf nipped him.   
  
M-21 eyed it, the wolf staring back him.   
  
"...Thanks, I guess." M-21 added that to the list.   
  


* * *

  
M-21 frowned over the list as he ate breakfast. It still looked too small and incomplete. Frankenstein had said he'd only wanted what he was thinking about and the bite, but did Frankenstein also want a report with it as well? The Union scientists had wanted that.   
  
"What'cha doooing?" Tao draped himself over M-21's shoulders, stealing a piece of toast.   
  
"Frankenstein asked me to make a list of all the times the wolf bit me," M-21 said, handing him the jam.   
  
"Wolfy bit you?" Tao poked the wolf, the wolf darting out of the way. "You shouldn't do that."   
  
The wolf didn't seem to be listening, playing with Tao's finger instead.   
  
"Need any help?" Tao said, eating the rest of the toast as he pulled up a chair.  
  
M-21 raised an eyebrow at him. "How?" Tao wouldn't know when the wolf had bit him.   
  
Tao circled a hand in the air, pulling out his phone. "If I say a buncha words, that could jog yer memory about another time Wolfy bit you."   
  
Hm. "Fine." It couldn't hurt.  
  


* * *

  
`[Are you free to talk about the mark? F]`  
  
M-21 glanced at the text and snorted. He'd sent the list less than an hour ago. Of course Frankenstein was able to work out what connected them when he couldn't.   
  
The wolf nipped him.   
  
M-21 eyed it. "Are you doing that on purpose?"   
  
The wolf barked.   
  
"Right..." That could mean anything.   
  
`[I'm free now. Same room?]` Since Frankenstein had taken him there already.   
  
`[I'll be there in five minutes. F]`  
  
M-21 added the wolf nipping him to the list and headed to the room.   
  
They arrived at the same time, Frankenstein gesturing him into the room.   
  
"How are you feeling?" Frankenstein asked as they sat down.   
  
M-21 shrugged. "Fine. So why does it keep biting me?"   
  
"From the looks of it," Frankenstein said, "the mark bites you when you direct harmful thoughts towards yourself."  
  
What. "That's it?" M-21 frowned, running over the list in his head, seeing it in a few now that it was pointed out. "But they're not harmful." Because they were the truth.   
  
Frankenstein raised an eyebrow. "You know how much words can affect and rattle a person."  
  
...Right. Tao wouldn't have used his words as a secret weapon if they didn't work.   
  
"They're just thoughts," M-21 muttered. What did it matter if he was thinking them? He was directing them towards himself, not anyone else.   
  
"If they were," Frankenstein said, "I don't think the mark would feel the need to intervene."   
  
M-21 frowned, too aware of the wolf curled around the back of his neck. "So it bites me whenever I'm angry at myself." He _should_ be angry at himself - there were too many times when he'd been too weak to do anything, too-  
  
M-21 hissed when the wolf nipped him, clapping a hand over the bite.   
  
It didn't stop the wolf. Of course it didn't. It was in his skin and there was nothing he could do to it.   
  
"And while I can't be entirely sure of the mark's thought processes," Frankenstein said, leaning forward, "I think he bites you to try and stop your train of thought."   
  
"It works," M-21 grumbled.   
  
Frankenstein sighed. "I would rather you not replace one hurt with another."   
  
M-21 stared at him, not understanding what Frankenstein was saying. He wasn't hurting himself with his thoughts and the wolf was only nipping him - it didn't bruise and he healed after a second if it bit him hard. What did it matter?  
  
"Hm." Frankenstein looked at M-21's hand, and M-21 lifted it, letting him see the wolf. "Hello," he said at the wolf, smiling.   
  
It was weird seeing Frankenstein talk at him, but the wolf responded, tail wagging.   
  
"Now, I know you are doing your best to help M-21-" The wolf's tail wagged harder. "-but I ask that you stop biting him."   
  
The wolf's tail slowed.   
  
"And do what instead?" M-21 asked. What else was it supposed to do?   
  
"Now that is a question," Frankenstein mused, looking at him. "Is there anything else he can do that gets your attention?"  
  
"No?" M-21 said. "It's only every bit me or-"   
  
The wolf barked.   
  
"-that," M-21 said, huffing.   
  
Frankenstein's eyebrows rose slightly as he studied the wolf curiously. "Barking also gets your attention?"  
  
"Yeah..." M-21 nodded. "It's usually a warning that someone's attacking me." M-21 thought it over. "But it'll sometimes bark at me to get something to eat or go outside."   
  
"Ah!" Frankenstein beamed, clapping once. "Excellent." What. "Yes, exactly like that." Frankenstein focused on the wolf again. "If you could distract him away from his thoughts through food or going outside instead of biting, it would be appreciated."  
  
The wolf barked again.   
  
Was it really that important? M-21 sighed. He would never understand the mind of a scientist.   
  
"Thank you. And M-21," Frankenstein said, turning back to him, "I would like you to, well, be kind yourself."  
  
What. M-21 stared at him.   
  
"You have survived through much hardship and you continue to get stronger every day - the mark is proof of your strength and how much you've grown while you've been here." The mark pressed into M-21's shoulder and...it used to be smaller than what its head was now. That... "It only seems like you're still weak because the opponents you've come up against recently have been monsters."  
  
M-21 snorted. Did that make a difference? They were fighting monsters _now_ and he was holding them back. If he couldn't help the others, then what us-  
  
"Tch."   
  
The wolf nipped him, but it held on rather than instantly letting go like it normally did. Then it barked.   
  
"Ah, yes," Frankenstein said, nodding, "a habit does take a while to break, but well done remembering to bark."   
  
The wolf wagged its tail.   
  
"Habits can both be actions and thoughts," Frankenstein said, "but I think that's enough for now."   
  
M-21 frowned. Thoughts could be habits?   
  
"If you have any questions, just let me know."   
  
M-21 had questions, but he didn't know what the fuck he wanted to know or how to ask. "Yeah."


	7. Growth [Part 4]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M-21 grows, and with it, so does the tattoo.

M-21 stared at the contents of the fridge, trying to decide what to eat.   
  
"You're hungry too?"   
  
M-21 huffed, nodding at Takeo. "No, but Frankenstein wants me to eat or go outside whenever my thoughts..." He frowned. He still didn't understand the direction Frankenstein said his thoughts went.   
  
"Mm?"  
  
M-21 shrugged. "Frankenstein thinks my thoughts are too harsh towards myself." It still didn't make sense - it was the truth.   
  
The wolf barked and M-21 glowered at it before reaching for one of the tubs of leftovers. "He can be wrong about things." Sometimes.   
  
Frankenstein hadn't been wrong about anything yet. Whenever Frankenstein suggested they do something, there was a reason for it. Even if it was small things like having a more regular sleep schedule or eating a better diet, M-21 _did_ start feeling better afterwards.   
  
Takeo hummed, coming over. "He's not this time - you _are_ harsh towards yourself."  
  
M-21 looked at Takeo incredulously. Takeo agreed?   
  
"He said eating and going outside would help?" Takeo said, taking another tub and collecting plates.   
  
M-21 grimaced. "That, and I had to 'be kind' to myself."  
  
What good was being kind? He'd had to take what he could and be aggressive in the Union to survive. Being kind hadn't helped. It was a weakness that made someone stand out and be killed.  
  
...But... M-21 frowned. It was because of Frankenstein and Raizel-nim's kindness that they had taken him in and kept him alive.   
  
They could afford to be though. They had the strength to back it up if someone tried to take advantage of them.  
  
"Is it helping?"  
  
"No." M-21 heated his food in the microwave, scowling at it. "It's - what's 'be kind'? And why should I be when I'm too weak to help in a fight?"   
  
They watched the food spin around for a few seconds in silence.   
  
"Would seeing Frankenstein's data help?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"Would seeing Frankenstein's data help?" Takeo repeated as M-21 took his food out the microwave. "You think you're weak - maybe seeing recorded data could change your mind?"   
  
Would it? Frankenstein's data was meticulously taken and he wouldn't change them just to make them feel better.   
  
"Maybe..." M-21 said. There wouldn't be a big difference. Not compared to Takeo or Tao's data.   
  
"We'll look at them after we've eaten then," Takeo said, putting his own food in the microwave.   
  


* * *

  
The lab was silent when M-21 and Takeo entered it. Frankenstein must have went out.   
  
"Which one does Frankenstein keep our data on..." Takeo mused, looking around.   
  
"All of them," M-21 muttered. Keep as many copies as possible with back-ups, just to make sure there was always a current version somewhere. After what had happened with -  
  
The door swished open and Tao poked his head in. Tao grinned when he saw them. "Heeey, I thought I heard someone come in. What'cha doing?"  
  
"Trying to find where Frankenstein keeps our data," Takeo said.   
  
M-21 cast his eyes over all the machines, frowning. In the Union, he knew exactly where to go when he needed access to his data, the passwords used and what folders they were stored in. He'd needed to know, to change his data before the scientists noticed the difference.  
  
Here, he hadn't seen his data since Frankenstein had given them access to it months ago. He hadn't felt the need to. Frankenstein had what he wanted, and M-21 didn't have anything to hide from him. Or couldn't hide it, since Frankenstein already knew.   
  
"You tryna look at data or machines and ya didn't invite _me_?" Tao let out a dramatic sigh, and then grinned at them. "Best place is over here."   
  
Tao hadn't crossed M-21's mind and just how distracted was he right now? A lot, by the looks of it, because he still couldn't make sense of what Frankenstein wanted or what he'd told them.   
  
Tao lead them further into the lab to where the monitors covered the walls.   
  
"So what're you looking for?" Tao said, his fingers flying over the keyboard as the computer whirred to life.   
  
"My data," M-21 said.   
  
Windows started opening as soon as M-21 said it.   
  
"Yeah?" Tao said. "What about?"   
  
"Trying to see if I've gotten stronger."  
  
Tao _snickered_ and M-21 stared at him.   
  
"Well yeah, you've gotten stronger!" Tao said, fingers still moving. More windows opened and closed. "Comparin' the first entry and the most recent, yeah?"  
  
"You think so too?"  
  
Tao tilted his head to look at him. "M. _Em_," he said, reaching up and patting M-21's shoulder with the back of his hand, "if ya weren't capable of taking it, I wouldn't put you out in front, ya know?"   
  
But... That was because he had to be. Tao was leading them, and Takeo needed distance with his guns.   
  
"Got one," Tao said, setting the window to the side.   
  
M-21 glanced at it and frowned. It had been months since he'd last seen his data but...  
  
"That's not right." The numbers were far too high from the ones he'd had in the Union. That had to be a record for Takeo or Tao.   
  
"Mm?" Tao glanced over. "Yeah, it is, see?" Tao circled parts of the screen with a finger. "Your name and date."   
  
Wait. "This is the _earliest_ entry?" That didn't make any sense. The numbers were already too high for something recent - they couldn't be what he _started_ at.   
  
"Yup." A couple more clicks and the properties window appeared. It was created on the same date and hadn't been modified since then.   
  
"An' here's last week's data."   
  
...No. There had to be a mistake. "He must have mislabelled them. These are yours." The jump was too far.   
  
"Mmmnope," Tao said. "I wasn't built for strength and this has notes on your transformation. Ours talks about how volatile Dark Spear is." Tao paused, squinting. "Hey, how'd I never notice Boss was keepin' tabs on Wolfy's growth too?"   
  
"When was the last time you looked?" Takeo asked.   
  
"When I needed measurements for our suits, so I guess I wasn't looking there. "   
  
M-21 couldn't stop staring at the data. They had to be wrong, but they were right there, staring back at him. Did Frankenstein really think he was that strong?   
  
"Here's us!" Tao said, two new windows popping up. "See? These list Takeo's speed and eyesight an' my hearing and energy capacity - that one's yours."   
  
...Oh. This was his. He...was a lot stronger compared to when he had been in the Union.   
  
That still didn't seem right. He didn't _feel_ stronger, not against their recent enemies and what was the point of being stronger if he kept fucking lo-  
  
The wolf barked, pressing in at his jaw.   
  
"Fine," he muttered. Be kind. Be fucking kind. He was stronger than he thought he was. Was that enough?  
  
The wolf kept the pressure, rumbling. Seemed like it.   
  
"Em, you good?" Both Takeo and Tao were watching him.   
  
"...Yeah. I just...need to think about it." A _lot_.   
  
"Heh, don't go thinkin' about it too hard or you'll start going around in circles." Tao shut the computer down and stretched. "Right, time for coffee!"   
  
"How many cups have you had today already?" Takeo said, eyeing him.   
  
"Who needs ta count!"  
  
M-21 followed them out, letting their conversation wash over him.   
  


* * *

  
M-21 paced his room, hearing cars passing by in the street. It was too early to go to bed, but even if it was, he wouldn't be able to go to sleep. Not when his thoughts refused to settle.   
  
The wolf seemed just as restless, darting from one side of his body to the other.   
  
He was stronger. Fine. He could see that. His body wasn't breaking down like it used to. He didn't need pills to keep his body together. Right. He'd changed since he'd been in the Union.   
  
The wolf curled up around his neck and barked.   
  
M-21 frowned, trying to look at it. "What?" Did it not like what he was thinking?   
  
It ran down his arm to his hand and barked again. It wasn't wanting him to stop thinking, then.   
  
"What is it," M-21 said, looking in the direction it was barking at.   
  
The window was in front of him, and so was his desk. Go outside?   
  
"Fine," he said, turning around to leave his room.   
  
The wolf curled to his palm and barked again.   
  
M-21 paused, lifting his hand to look at the wolf. "What do you want?"   
  
The wolf barked in the direction behind M-21.   
  
He sighed. It wasn't about him though, so that was...probably a good thing.   
  
He walked towards the window, trying to see what the wolf was interested in.   
  
The wolf barked at the desk as he passed it.   
  
"...There's nothing there." He didn't use his desk for anything. It had a box of tissues on it, that was it. It wasn't something new, so the wolf couldn't be suspicious of it.   
  
The wolf kept barking.   
  
"There's nothing-" M-21 sighed. "What is it?" He waved his hand over his desk, hoping the wolf would react to something. It couldn't fit anymore like it used to, curled completely around his hand.  
  
It started barking when his hand hovered over the box of tissues.   
  
M-21 stared at the tissues. "Do you want me to wash my face now?"   
  
When he flipped his hand, the wolf was pawing outwards.   
  
He looked back at the tissues and then at the wolf. He snorted.   
  
"Not everything is about me." Right. Of course it wasn't. Sometimes, the wolf just wanted to play.   
  
He tugged one of the tissues free from the box and dangled it above the wolf. "Like this?"   
  
The wolf jumped up and a corner of the tissue tore free and drifted towards the desk.   
  
Huh. Its reach away from his skin was bigger now too.   
  
"You want it like this, or on my skin?"   
  
It barked, tail wagging.   
  
"Helpful."   
  
It didn't seem frustrated, seeming to be content to jump up and shred the tissue.   
  
It wasn't long until the desk was littered with tissue pieces.   
  
"Good thing we did this here rather than downstairs," M-21 muttered. Frankenstein would have been pissed at the mess and they wouldn't find all the pieces at once either.   
  
The wolf tilted its head at him before snapping at another bit of tissue.   
  
"Em, you here?" Tao said, poking his head in. He looked down. "You trying to make it snow indoors?"  
  
M-21 huffed, sweeping the tissue bits into the bin. "The wolf was bored."   
  
"Weeell, we could help with that," Tao said, grinning. "Me an' Takeo were thinking about having a training session - you in?"   
  
M-21 stared at him. "But - I can't control my transformation." He could lose control and hurt them.   
  
"_Yet_," Tao said, holding up a finger and grinning at him. "And who knows - maybe that's something that only happens when you first upgrade. Only way to find out is to try and see!"   
  
"All right," M-21 said, standing up. He could do that.


	8. Growth [Part 5]

  
  
M-21 shook his hands out after he dropped his shirt next to Tao. The wolf stood prepared on his chest, its tail wagging furiously.   
  
"Awww, someone's excited to play," Tao cooed, waggling his fingers at the wolf.   
  
The wolf was far more interested than M-21 was. M-21 flexed his fingers, unable to shift the hard ball of unease in his stomach.   
  
If he transformed and it went wrong, Takeo and Tao were alone with him in a closed off room.   
  
"M-21?"  
  
Takeo was watching him and M-21 sighed. "Yeah. I'm all right." The faster he controlled the transformation, the better.   
  
"All riiight," Tao called out from the side, his words already accompanied by tapping on the keyboard. "Then we'll start in three, two, one, go!"   
  
M-21 and Takeo dashed towards each other. M-21 felt energy gathering up in him, his hands already tingling, ready to transform.   
  
He pushed it so just his hands changed. He dodged Takeo's swipe, seeing the lights glint off the bayonet and caught Takeo's other gun, curling his lip at him as they struggled against each other.   
  
Takeo smiled back before M-21 jumped away. Takeo chased after him and each slash was closer than the last.   
  
He had to transform. If he didn't, the fight would be over soon. Too soon.   
  
He gathered up the energy, feeling his arms ting-  
  
_'Hrrrr.'_   
  
M-21 froze, the growl bouncing around in his head, even after it ended. No. No nono-! He let go of the transformation, throwing himself away from Takeo.   
  
"M-?"  
  
"Don't," M-21 gasped, straining his ears for another growl, for a sign of _anything_ he was losing control.   
  
Shit. Was this what he was going to be like when he transformed now? _Could_ he transform?   
  
No. He couldn't. Not when there was a chance he could lose himself.   
  
And fuck, if he couldn't transform, then he was _really_ fucking useless now!   
  
The wolf barked around his neck and he curled his lip, digging his fingers into where it was. What the fuck was the point of _being kind_ when he fucking couldn't do anything?   
  
He growled, gritting his teeth when he felt the sharp pain of the wolf biting him. "Fuck _off_!"   
  
"Heeey, hey hey, what're you two arguing about?" Tao said, walking over.   
  
"Me being a useless piece of shit as usual," M-21 said, backing away from Takeo and Tao. He couldn't let them close. Maybe it was too late already, and the werewolf instincts would take over at any time if he let his guard down.   
  
"M-" Tao started again, still coming closer.   
  
"No! If I transform, I'll hurt you!" Takeo and Tao were between him and the door but he had to get _away_.   
  
Takeo and Tao shared a look, and shit, what were they planning?   
  
Takeo darted towards him, a determined expression on his face. Fucking - _Why_? Did they _want_ to be hurt?  
  
M-21 dodged, but Takeo hadn't brought out his guns. M-21 clamped down on his transformation anyway, making sure there wasn't a chance he could do it through habit. But knowing him, he was going to fuck it up at some-  
  
M-21 saw the black cable in his periphery too late. "Bast-!" It swept his legs out from under him, Takeo catching him before he hit the ground. Two cables wrapped around M-21, pinning his legs and arms so he couldn't move.   
  
"Okay, Mr. Grumpypants," Tao said, as Takeo set him kneeling on the floor, "what's up?" Takeo and Tao sat down so they were in a loose circle.   
  
"What's _up_?" M-21 snapped. "If I transform, I'll hurt you!"   
  
Tao patted him on the head and M-21 growled at him. He cut himself off when he realised what he was doing. "See!" He had already lost so much of his humanity he was losing control when he wasn't transformed!   
  
"Em. Look." Tao gestured towards M-21. "If you can escape from this, then we'll talk about what we'll do if you try to maul us."   
  
M-21 glowered at him, feeling the cables tighten around him. "Fine." He tried to wriggle free, but every time he made space, the cables pressed in, locking him in again.   
  
He struggled for a minute, but it was clear he wasn't going to escape. And Tao knew it, from the way he was grinning, resting his chin in his palm. Asshole.   
  
"I'm stronger when I'm transformed." It would be different. His claws would slice through the cables like paper.   
  
"Yeah," Tao said, nodding, "but that doesn't mean we'd just roll over either if you lose yourself. We can still contain you if we work together."   
  
Like they'd just done. With no trouble. Because even if he _was_ strong, he couldn't do anything with-   
  
"_And_," Tao continued, as the wolf barked again, "even if something _does_ happen, Boss and Raizel-nim are upstairs." Tao gestured towards the ceiling. "You ain't taking _them_ down."  
  
A weak laugh escaped M-21's lips despite himself. He wouldn't even get a step towards them before he was taken out.   
  
"I'd have to go through you first," M-21 said. They would have to make a racket before Frankenstein and Raizel-nim noticed to come investigate.   
  
Tao snickered, clapping Takeo on the shoulder. "Takeo's fast. He can just throw me over his shoulder and get us out."  
  
M-21 narrowed his eyes at Tao. "Would you run." He _knew_ Tao - Tao would try something like _talk_ to him first.   
  
Tao smiled. "Only if you went wild. Which we haven't seen yet."  
  
M-21 stared at him. "You _saw_ me lose myself!"  
  
"What we saw, was you stop fighting," Takeo said.   
  
M-21 scoffed. "Before." He wasn't talking about just now, since he was able to stop in time.   
  
"I dunno if you did," Tao said, his voice soft. "You were still focused on fighting the werewolf and not just attacking anythin' that moved."   
  
"But..." M-21 frowned. Because it hadn't been some violent werewolf instincts taking over; it had been from sharing his body with the mark. "_Fuck_." He'd forgotten about that. The growl he'd heard must have been the wolf's.   
  
"Beeetter?" Tao said, peering at him.   
  
"No," M-21 muttered. "But," he continued, "I can try to transform." If he didn't panic first.   
  
"Great!" Tao said, grinning as the cables loosened and slipped back under his sleeve.   
  
M-21 blinked at Takeo's offered hand, and took it, Takeo pulling him to his feet.   
  
"Round two!" Tao called out, holding up two fingers as M-21 and Takeo stood opposite each other. Takeo's arms were loose at his side, his hands empty. Maybe it was for the best Takeo use his guns yet. If he lost control...  
  
The wolf barked.   
  
_If_ he lost control. He shouldn't. Not if it was just with the wolf in his head, and Raizel-nim had said that would only happen if they agreed.   
  
Right.   
  
"Three, two, one, go!"   
  
Takeo and M-21 dashed towards each other and this time, M-21 got the first punch in, Takeo sidestepping it. Probably slowing down just for him.   
  
There was no accompanying growl, but the wolf bounced around his shoulders, its wagging tail ruffling M-21's hair.   
  
They exchanged a few punches, none of them connecting solidly as they tested each other.   
  
The wolf raced towards whichever part of Takeo was closest, spinning in circles.   
  
It felt...okay, settling into the give and take, neither of them giving ground. He could feel the want to transform build but he kept a tight hold on it. Just for now. Just to see how far he could get without transforming.   
  
M-21 flinched when he heard the growl, even though he was waiting for it.   
  
That was all Takeo needed. They were too close for M-21 to dodge in time, and all the air in his lungs rushed out from Takeo's punch. He staggered back a step, feeling the transformation slide into place. The growl deepened in his head, and he could understand what it _meant_.  
  
The wolf wanted to _win_.   
  
He could understand that.   
  
M-21 could feel pressure against his teeth as his fangs grew, his skin tingling. The growl in his throat was just a continuation of the one in their head.   
  
They lunged at Takeo, swiping at him. They missed and landed on all fours, their limbs feeling wrong. Both too short and too long at the same time, like they were bigger than they should be, contained in a tiny body. On all fours would be better until they figured out their limbs.   
  
"M-21...?" Takeo said, standing a distance away from them.   
  
They grinned as they turned towards him, stretching their front limbs out, flexing their claws. Hm. Long fingers, silver arms. Still the same as usual.   
  
"Pretty sure that's a play bow," Tao called out from the side. They could hear him, but they wanted their ears to turn like the wolf was used to.  
  
That was it. That was what the biggest overwhelming instinct was: _play_.   
  
They huffed, nodding as they straightened. On two legs would be better. That was why they were practicing, to get used to this.   
  
They leaped towards Takeo and chased after him when Takeo jumped back. When they slashed down, Takeo blocked it with his gun. Takeo would attack with a sideswipe next, like he'd done before.   
  
They pushed his hand away and caught Takeo's other gun with their fangs, slamming their shoulder into him.   
  
"Ggh!"   
  
They toppled over, Takeo grunting when he hit the ground. They rolled over, placing their hands on Takeo's shoulders, pinning him as they grinned down at him.   
  
Takeo chuckled. "You won this one." He glanced down. "And," he said, his voice louder, "I think you'll need to find a new material to make the guns from."   
  
"Aww, really?"  
  
They won! They wagged their tail -that wasn't there but they wagged it anyway- and-  
  
M-21 sagged, smacking his head off Takeo's shoulder. "_Fuck_." He rested his head there as the rest of his body melted against Takeo's, gulping in air.   
  
"You all right?" Takeo asked, patting M-21's back.   
  
"Nnng." That was as much energy as he could muster to speak. Barely a minute transformed and he was exhausted.  
  
But he hadn't lost control. He'd been there with the wolf the entire time. He'd been aware the entire time.   
  
The transformation had been different, stronger. It left him drained more than before though as well. His skin buzzed as if the wolf had passed over it all at once. Which it basically had done.   
  
"Is he still breathin'?"  
  
Takeo patted him again. "Yes."   
  
M-21 had already regained enough energy to glower at Tao as the other man walked over, peering at him.   
  
"See?" Tao said as the wolf curled back around M-21's neck, nuzzling under his ear. "No mauling."   
  
"Yeah..." It wouldn't happen unless both he and the wolf wanted it, and they would never attack Takeo and Tao.   
  
"Do you want me to carry you upstairs?" Takeo said.  
  
M-21 grimaced. "No." He didn't want the others seeing him like that. He rolled over Takeo with a huff.   
  
"Oi oi, I know you've got a fast recovery rate, but don't get up just yet."   
  
"'m not," M-21 mumbled. He didn't think his legs could support his body right now. "Just wanted off Takeo." So Takeo could breathe properly.   
  
"But he makes a _great_ pillow!"   
  
M-21 glowered at him again. The wolf was already high enough energy to deal with - he didn't want Tao's energy as well right now.   
  
Tao's grin softened. "How're you feelin'?"  
  
M-21 mulled it over. He still couldn't move, his skin still sensitive to...everything. But... "Better." He hadn't lost control. He was still there. He was stronger than before.   
  
"Good." Tao's grin returned full force. "And once you're on your feet again, we're gonna _celebrate_."   
  
"_No_," M-21 and Takeo said together. Practicing the transformation was enough for one night.   
  
"Fine, fine," Tao said. "Just food then. You probably need to replenish after that."   
  
M-21 didn't feel hungry, but he'd probably feel it after adrenaline had worn off. "All right."   
  
He just needed to close his eyes for five minutes...  
  


* * *

  
The bed was soft and cool under M-21, but he was too tired to go to sleep. Or his brain refused to stop thinking.   
  
He traced his finger over his skin, the wolf chasing after it, giving him a soft nip or tap of the paw whenever it caught it. That was about as much as he could do, the exhaustion still dragging at him.   
  
The wolf wasn't some mindless beast that wanted to destroy everything in sight; most of the time, it just wanted to play. His humanity wasn't being eroded with each strength he gained; he was still there and aware of what he was doing.   
  
He was...all right.   
  
The wolf squeezed his bicep for a second, rumbling, before chasing after his finger again.   
  
Yeah. He was all right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic was supposed to be about 'Haha, look, a living tattoo'. Didn't expect it to swing this much into more serious territory. I didn't even get to the part I was intending to end on, because 1) this was long enough already, and 2) no longer fit with the rest of the segment, pfffft. XD


End file.
